Blizzard Leisure’s collaboration with anime studio Dawn to carry the world of Cowboy Bebop to Overwatch 2 was met with nice enthusiasm when it was first revealed in its stylized, animated type. However when Blizzard launched a full have a look at the in-game skins for Cassidy, Ashe, Mauga, Sombra, and Wrecking Ball, a dose of actuality set in.
It was actually one character particularly who stood out: Cole Cassidy, the outlaw cowboy beforehand often called McCree, who was dressed up as Cowboy Bebop’s Spike Spiegel. The animated promise of that crossover seemed like a good match. However the in-game mannequin of Cassidy dressed up Spike looks a lot much less interesting, no less than in comparison with the original concept art.
Picture: Blizzard Leisure
It’s frequent for 3D character fashions to deviate considerably from 2D ideas. In 2D, artists don’t should concern themselves with lowered element or hitboxes. Cassidy’s not practically as lithe or as younger wanting as Spike.
However response to the in-game fashions from the Overwatch group was swift and extremely unkind to Mr. Cassidy. “I just know the devs were crying trying to replicate Spike’s hair in 3D, bro,” reads a top comment on the Overwatch subreddit. “They all look good except for Spike,” reads one other. “It’s like Cass ate a bee right before they were meant to go to the con.”
Overwatch gamers additionally identified how weird Mauga looks as Jet Black. Usually, Mauga sports activities a large mane of jet black hair (with a outstanding white streak) that helps outline his large silhouette. However as Jet Black, Mauga adopts the anime character’s baldness.
Nonetheless, it’s Cassidy who’s getting probably the most unfavorable consideration on social media platforms like X and TikTok.
One apparent design alternative Overwatch 2 gamers are taking challenge with is Cassidy’s hair, which, within the authentic animated trailer, was coated by a hat. Unusually, Cassidy’s Spike pores and skin in-game doesn’t characteristic a hat, regardless of the character carrying one amongst of his different skins.
Overwatch 2 artwork director Dion Rogers instructed ComicBook.com that the weird option to make Cassidy go hatless was meant to extra carefully match the look of Spike Spiegel.
“That was something that we went back and forth on how he would feel silhouette-wise,” Rogers stated. “There’s a lot of gameplay choices when we remove something from a hero. But to really capture the Spike and have that hero feel like they are them or cosplaying as them. We chose to remove his hat.”
Rogers factors out an vital design alternative in that quote, noting that Overwatch 2’s characters are “cosplaying.” That’s not purported to be Spike Spiegel on the planet of Overwatch, however Cole Cassidy dressed up as him. The identical was true of Blizzard’s One Punch Man collab for Overwatch 2, which helps clarify why the heroes of Overwatch appear to be, nicely, themselves and never nearer to their anime inspirations.
It’s a design alternative that can stay constant, the sport’s artists say.
“[Overwatch] wants to keep the identity [and] artstyle of the characters through the various collabs, something other IPs are not always so concerned with,” said Overwatch 2 principal artist Mike Hardison on X, in response to suggestions in regards to the Cowboy Bebop character skins. “That’s our line in the sand.”
Overwatch 2’s Cowboy Bebop crossover is now stay in recreation.
