Blizzard Announces Plans To Change Jesse McCree's Name

Blizzard Entertainment has signaled that they intend to change the name of the OverWatch hero known as Jesse McCree, named after a blizzard developer who was a central figure in the recent Cosby Suite scandal. The news came from the official Blizzard entertainment Twitter account, and the press release mentions that they will change the policy on naming game elements after staff members.

McCree is named after former Blizzard lead level designer Jesse McCree, who was ousted earlier this year amid the Activision Blizzard sexual harassment and discrimination case. pic.twitter.com/zRvFbNvg22

— GameSpot (@GameSpot) August 27, 2021

Jesse McCree was a Blizzard dev. The OW team liked the name and decided to use it for the cowboy. Then the real Jesse McCree was outed as a sexual predator, so they're changing the name to not glorify the real guy

— OhSoGeneric (@SoDarnGeneric) August 26, 2021

>The outlaw formerly known as Jesse McCree pic.twitter.com/8AaeQAQ47e

— Kaleb (@KalebPrime) August 26, 2021

While the decision made some members of the OverWatch community happy, there were others who were upset with the decision and how it affects the character and the story of the game more than it impacts real life. The words pandering, performative, and worthless were favored by most people replying in the thread and making memes about the decision.

swear to god gun to my head I wouldn’t have been able to tell you there was a dev named Jesse McCree if my life had depended on it until now……… really doing a lot to enact CURRENT LASTING CHANGE blizz pic.twitter.com/FkOgKqfZWX

— Becca 🖤🤎❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 (@rfarrowster) August 26, 2021

BLIZZARD: we are changing Jesse McCree's name to Johnathan WomenRespecter

— nat (@hyperbolide) August 26, 2021

I think it would be very funny if the name changed from Jesse Mccree to John Mcafee

— Jessi Cyboid (@JessicaCyboid) August 26, 2021

Whether the decision is right or wrong, there is a lot of people who are noting how monumental this is, as there are a lot of lore items, voice lines, and merchandise that needs to be ready to change to confirm to this new name.

God I'm going to miss Jesse McCree so much.
I feel so dizzy.
Whatever new name they give him… Joel? Something completely different? It's going to feel… off. I'm so curious
God just imagine all the work they gotta go through changing every instance of his name in all the media

— 🍒kirsch (@kirschetc) August 26, 2021

what a shit method of damage control to the-
✨LITERAL EVIDENCE DESTROYING IN HR✨ https://t.co/heUh1P8pgV

— Ellie (@renderific) August 26, 2021

the heterosexuality leaving jesse mccree's body when blizzard needs to avert a PR disaster pic.twitter.com/pu4SC0SSr3

— CK Crash 🏳️‍🌈 (@zgoodless) August 26, 2021