Blizzard Is Renaming Overwatch’s McCree Amid Activision Lawsuit

Blizzard announced today on Twitter that it will be renaming Jesse McCree and delaying the start of Overwatch’s next story arc. The change comes after the real-life developer the cowboy character was named after was let go from the company during the course of the ongoing fallout around a California lawsuit accusing the company of widespread sexual harassment and discrimination.

“We built the Overwatch universe around the idea that inclusivity, equity, and hope are the building blocks of a better future,” the development team wrote in a statement. “As we continue to discuss how we best live up to our values and to demonstrate our commitment to creating a game world that reflects them, we believe it’s necessary to change the name of the heroe currently known as Mccree to something that better represents what Overwatch stands for.”