Blizzard fired Afrasiabi in 2020 following an internal review of his actions. A World of Warcraft NPC named after Blizzard developer Alex Afrasiabi also received a name change after it was revealed that Afrasiabi was also part of the Cosby Suite crew, and was specifically named in California's lawsuit for sexual harassment. The decision to change the character McCree's name is not the first instance of this happening in a Blizzard game following the lawsuit. Jesse McCree was a well-known senior developer, but in the ensuing investigations since the Activision Blizzard lawsuit, revealed that McCree was part of the "Cosby Crew" a group of developers who would host alcohol-fueled parties in the so-called "Cosby Suite." When reached for comment, Activision Blizzard declined to specify whether McCree left the company or was fired. However, McCree was one of three senior Blizzard employees no longer working at the company following California's lawsuit against Blizzard for widespread gender discrimination. McCree's name was taken directly from Blizzard developer Jesse McCree. This week saw California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) accuse Activision Blizzard of "withholding and suppressing evidence" and shredding vital documents related to the lawsuit.In a statement on the official Overwatch Twitter account, the developers announced that it will change McCree's name to "something that better represents what Overwatch stands for." Furthermore, the developers announced that going forward in-game characters will no longer be named after real employees.Ī message from the Overwatch team. Allen Brack and former head of HR Jesse Meschuk step down. The lawsuit has also seen former company president J. MCCREE OVERWATCH PROBlizzard previously replaced WoW references to Alex Afrasiabi, who was also part of the "BlizzCon Cosby Crew."īlizzard recently promised not to create any more skins based on Overwatch League MVPs following sexual assault allegations against pro player Jay "Sinatraa" Won.Įarlier this month, it was reported that Jessie McCree, along with Diablo IV director Luis Barriga and World of Warcraft designer Jonathan LeCraft, had been dismissed from Blizzard. There are several instances of McCree's name in World of Warcraft, including Scarlet Lord Jesseriah McCree, Jessup McCree, and Marshal McCree. The firm also said, "in-game characters will no longer be named after real employees and we will be more thoughtful and discerning about adding real world references in future Overwatch content." "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 hero currently known as McCree to something that better represents what Overwatch stands for."īlizzard didn't reveal the new name, but we know it won't be taken from another member of staff. "They are central to the game and to the Overwatch team."Ī message from the Overwatch team. "We built the Overwatch universe around the idea that inclusivity, equity, and hope are the building blocks of a better future," the company said in a statement. There have also been calls from fans and players to rename the character.īlizzard has acknowledged the problem and will be renaming McCree. It led to some Overwatch League casters refusing to use the name, referring to him instead as "the cowboy" during matches. The hero was named after Blizzard employee Jesse McCree, who was previously lead. Now, Blizzard has announced it is renaming the character and will no longer use staff names in its games.īlizzard helped immortalize Diablo 4 lead level designer Jesse McCree by naming the popular Overwatch character after him, a decision it came to regret after Kotaku revealed his involvement in the "Cosby Suite" group chats. Blizzard and the Overwatch developers have announced it is changing the name of the hero formerly known as McCree. In context: Companies naming video game characters after their employees isn't unusual, but what happens when the people in question fall from grace? It's a situation Blizzard is facing with Overwatch gunslinger McCree, named after Jesse McCree, one of several staff members dismissed amid the sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit brought against the firm.
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