Tracer confirmed first LGBT character

[Jessicka]

Aren't you busy enough talking about this on the general forums? :P

Again, I don't care. I simply don't. I play the game, I don't read the comics, the characters sexual orientation has nothing to do with my game play.

The only thing I said (if you scroll up) is that the people "defending" tracer are the ones going all mental on people that just don't see how a persons sexual orientation needs to be in a shooting game.

I also don't really understand why people should start playing other games because Blizzard is "catering" to the side you are on, should the other side be telling you the same if the shoe was on the other foot?

Because it's not in the shooting game, it's in the comics, which you're not reading... But still in spite of neither reading nor caring, are determined to keep saying it shouldn't be in a shooting game.

[micwini]

The problem is not her sexuality. The problem is that it was forced as fuck. There is no reason other than "we need to have one LGBT hero for the sakes of it". And instead of just giving subtle hints with ingame voice lines, they had to make a whole comic dedicated to it. If they chose option one it would have been fine and no one would complain about it.

[Deleted]

Because it's not in the shooting game, it's in the comics, which you're not reading... But still in spite of neither reading nor caring, are determined to keep saying it shouldn't be in a shooting game.

Again, please read. Please Jessicka. Please.
I know you have an agenda, like always but please just put it down on the table and actually look at it objectively for once.

I don't mind if all characters are not lesbian, gay, trans or anything else - It does nothing for my game play. I hardly played tracer before because I am just plain bad with her and I am not playing her now. I play a lot of Reinhardt an will stay keep playing him if they said his sexual orientation is now gay and his boyfriend is Genji (I don't play genji, im bad at genji).

I am saying that you are attacking people that are of the opinion that this has no place in a shooting game, which you are.
You are telling them to go play something else because this is how it is.

People are also getting attacked for saying they would prefer a new character with a "lesbian story line" from the start, instead of making it feel like a token LGBT character.
These people are also being attacked for having a different opinion.

You are doing the same thing to people with a different opinion as what you want others to not do to you.

Live and let live.

[Post]

Ill give you that one, no clue what his little rant would mean though but sounds like he isn't to good in the head.

Yeah and that's all I'm saying. Blizzard can do literally anything and there will be someone complaining about it.

The problem is not her sexuality. The problem is that it was forced as fuck. There is no reason other than "we need to have one LGBT hero for the sakes of it". And instead of just giving subtle hints with ingame voice lines, they had to make a whole comic dedicated to it. If they chose option one it would have been fine and no one would complain about it.

The whole comic was not "dedicated" to Tracer being gay. It's not any more prominent than Winston considering his friends his family because he's alone otherwise and nobody has a problem with that.

[Deleted]

Yeah and that's all I'm saying. Blizzard can do literally anything and there will be someone complaining about it.



The whole comic was not "dedicated" to Tracer being gay. It's not any more prominent than Winston considering his friends his family because he's alone otherwise and nobody has a problem with that.

And that is fine, I just don't see how attacking other people because their opinions don't exactly line up with "yours" (don't mean you personally, but people in general) is the right way to do this.
There are "valid" arguments being made by people that are not against a LGBT character but would have liked to see it done in a different way.
Or people just don't care that its in the game but think it has no place in a shooter, its not like they won't play the character but they just don't see how it fits in with a shooting game.

As I said to Jessicka above, people here seem to get really angry and bash the shit out of people but if the shoe was on the other foot would they enjoy being told to go play another game?

[Post]

And that is fine, I just don't see how attacking other people because their opinions don't exactly line up with "yours" (don't mean you personally, but people in general) is the right way to do this.

It's not.

There are "valid" arguments being made by people that are not against a LGBT character but would have liked to see it done in a different way.
Or people just don't care that its in the game but think it has no place in a shooter, its not like they won't play the character but they just don't see how it fits in with a shooting game.

This stuff is just subjective, I think it was handled perfectly and I like that there's story behind the characters. I don't bash the shit out of people for holding that opinion but I'll still discuss why I think they're wrong.

As I said to Jessicka above, people here seem to get really angry and bash the shit out of people but if the shoe was on the other foot would they enjoy being told to go play another game?

They would not enjoy that, and I've seen it happen. The "if you don't like it leave" argument isn't a good one unless it's something like "I don't like that we have to shoot people in this game."

[Jessicka]

Again, please read. Please Jessicka. Please.
I know you have an agenda, like always but please just put it down on the table and actually look at it objectively for once.

I don't mind if all characters are not lesbian, gay, trans or anything else - It does nothing for my game play. I hardly played tracer before because I am just plain bad with her and I am not playing her now. I play a lot of Reinhardt an will stay keep playing him if they said his sexual orientation is now gay and his boyfriend is Genji (I don't play genji, im bad at genji).

I am saying that you are attacking people that are of the opinion that this has no place in a shooting game, which you are.
You are telling them to go play something else because this is how it is.

People are also getting attacked for saying they would prefer a new character with a "lesbian story line" from the start, instead of making it feel like a token LGBT character.
These people are also being attacked for having a different opinion.

You are doing the same thing to people with a different opinion as what you want others to not do to you.

Live and let live.

I'm pointing out that it's not in the shooting game, it's in the comics and associated media.

That if you have a problem with sexuality being present in a shooter as referenced by Widowmaker having had a husband, or Ana having given birth to Pharah and presumably relations with a man in order to conceive her; then there are other titles in the genre available that don't do this and where it can be avoided.

My "agenda" is to stop pretending that is what people are complaining about. Because it isn't.

They're complaining about Tracer being a lesbian. However you want to dress that up in wanting to be forewarned that she was, well, we were forewarned long before launch that some heroes would be LGBT. Blizzard were always entirely open with that. The only 'surprise' as it were, is who and it's pretty clear from this thread that it didn't come as a major shock to some of us.

So, how can you possibly justify any of these complaints, when knowing that sexuality would be included in the game since pre-launch? Your complaint is every bit as retro-active as you seem to suggest Tracer's reveal was; but we know your complaint is retro-active, you have zero evidence that Tracer was ever intended to be anything other than a lesbian.

[Nikusu]

So her being straight would have no impact on your life either? (just playing devils advocate here).

Nope, it wouldn't. I'm a straight, half-Caucasian male that is not personally invested in the sexuality of any Overwatch characters. That doesn't mean it's not something positive for someone else though. That's my problem with people who are outspoken against Tracer's sexuality. It has no effect on their lives outside of what they make of it. If they want to be upset then that's their choice. However, on the other side of things Tracer is a great character for LGBTQ. She's not a joke and her backstory isn't reliant on some tragedy of her sexuality. It wasn't too long ago that it was common to have two straight males kiss just for laughs and a TV ratings boost.

I'm sorry that I'm not very good at articulating my thoughts, but for another example there's Bioware games. Everytime Bioware talks about romance (especially gay romance) there's always naysayers talking about how they wouldn't care if they got rid of romance altogether. Romance wasn't written for them, but for others it's a very important part of why they play Bioware games. Tracer's sexuality and Bioware romance should be a positive for some and nothing for others. The hate is what bothers me. When you can't empathize, sympathize. Not everything has to revolve around your tastes, but realize that something that doesn't effect you can still be important to others. Obviously when I say, "You," I don't mean you woozie.

Also, to respond to one of your later comments I would just like to say I don't think she feels token at all. It feels like Blizzard was waiting for a good time to incorporate her sexuality into a storyline rather than making it overt. I think if they wanted a token gay they wouldn't have made it the face of the game. Just my take on that. Sorry to hear both sides are getting a little nasty. Haven't been up to date on the thread.

[crakerjack]

You claim to be an outside perspective but your post is pretty telling. You don't have to go very far:



This guy thinks it's too much to even show in any way that she's gay.

And I can't stop you from putting words in my mouth. I specifically said sexuality and that includes hetero aswell. If you want to wildly slander me as homophobic, you can do so but that's on you.

[Kallisto]

And that is fine, I just don't see how attacking other people because their opinions don't exactly line up with "yours" (don't mean you personally, but people in general) is the right way to do this.
There are "valid" arguments being made by people that are not against a LGBT character but would have liked to see it done in a different way.
Or people just don't care that its in the game but think it has no place in a shooter, its not like they won't play the character but they just don't see how it fits in with a shooting game.

As I said to Jessicka above, people here seem to get really angry and bash the shit out of people but if the shoe was on the other foot would they enjoy being told to go play another game?

Because in reality

A) This is perhaps the least in your face way of doing it. People argue the whole "Forced" thing when they say different way but when asked what is a non forced way of doing it or come up with a different way they hush up.
B) Overwatch was made from the ground up to not be just a shooter. Metzen on stage during the announcement of Blizzcon made it clear. Sorry if we find people who don't understand this shit using false arguments. I mean is it really that hard for them to go watch a blizzcon once in a while if they like Blizzard games and find out what the hell they're talking about.
C) When you read some of these comments it is quite clear they are using codes of "I hate homosexuals but too afraid to come out and say it because I know I'm in the wrong.". Like when the complain about Hetero relationships (points at Crakerjack.) even though from day 1 we knew Widow was married. Ergo she's almost likely Hetero, Ana has a daughter (Pharah). Yet at no point did anyone scream "GET THOSE HETERO RELATIONSHIPS OUT OF MY GAME." when Widow was announced to have killed her husband or when Ana was released as Pharah's mother. Also no one is complaining about Torbjorn having been in a hetero relationship with his many kids. Or the Omnic-Human relationships hinted at in the Widow/Tracer cinematic. Nope only complaint is Tracer-Emily and we have to believe that somehow it's because they're showing a sexuality, not because Tracer is in a Lesbian relationship. I call BS on that every single time.

[Post]

And I can't stop you from putting words in my mouth. I specifically said sexuality and that includes hetero aswell. If you want to wildly slander me as homophobic, you can do so but that's on you.

I didn't say you didn't include heterosexual or call you homophobic.

[Mormolyce]

And I can't stop you from putting words in my mouth. I specifically said sexuality and that includes hetero aswell. If you want to wildly slander me as homophobic, you can do so but that's on you.

Nobody's accusing you of being a homophobe. Coming out and saying what you really think openly would require a pair of balls.

[Tenjen]

pffttt "the whole comic" was not about her being gay. It was about Christmas and being with those you love. Friends and family. The main focus was on visiting Winston.

[Kujako]

pffttt "the whole comic" was not about her being gay. It was about Christmas and being with those you love. Friends and family. The main focus was on visiting Winston.

Folks are just mad that this makes their fanfic non canonical.

[Seifa]

If this wasn't for this thread i'd forget Tracer sexuality. I'm still sad that they chose her as a gay character instead of a guy, just to show some risk but whatever, i'll keep shoot her in the face.

[ChaosWolf]

If this wasn't for this thread i'd forget Tracer sexuality. I'm still sad that they chose her as a gay character instead of a guy, just to show some risk but whatever, i'll keep shoot her in the face.

People keep saying outing her wasnt a risk because she's a female and thus "more accepted"...

Well, putting aside the misinformed ideas that fetishization is acceptance and objectification is representation...

Shes literally the face of the game, the first character you ever see, sitting here on the box on the shelf at the store. She's about as much of a mascot as the game has got... outing her was a huge risk for Blizzard. Having their first LGBT reveal be "no risk" would involve having it be a lesser-played character or a background NPC, not the most well-known figure of the entire game. It's kinda like if Nintendo said Mario was bisexual or something - having the "controversy" of non-heterosexuality attached to a flagship character is a massive thing.

[DeadmanWalking]

People keep saying outing her wasnt a risk because she's a female and thus "more accepted"...

Well, putting aside the misinformed ideas that fetishization is acceptance and objectification is representation...

Shes literally the face of the game, the first character you ever see, sitting here on the box on the shelf at the store. She's about as much of a mascot as the game has got... outing her was a huge risk for Blizzard. Having their first LGBT reveal be "no risk" would involve having it be a lesser-played character or a background NPC, not the most well-known figure of the entire game. It's kinda like if Nintendo said Mario was bisexual or something - having the "controversy" of non-heterosexuality attached to a flagship character is a massive thing.

This is of course from a male perspective, a perspective that likes lesbian porn, or two girls 1 guy porn. But from the perspective of a homophobic female is the opposite, to them gay males are more acceptable in society than female gays. They look at gay men as harmless 'shopping buddies' who have great fashion sense, and gay females being too aggressive in an icky way. Gay males won't try to turn a straight man gay for the most part, usually only if the gaydar was wrong. Gay females don't mind taking a shot at any female.

so this perspective of 'gay females are more acceptable in society' is only because your perspective is from a male's perspective.

[Nero Stormchester]

Game didn't need this shit at all

[Vanyali]

I didn't say "should have warned". That is you translating my words to your primitive level. I didn't know Torbjorn had kids but if someone having kids is "shocking" to you flash news - people have kids. Sorry I meant - straight people have kids, everything else is adoption which is also fine.

You're reallyyyyyy bad with understanding what people are saying, aren't ya bud?

Hint: the part about torb having kids needing a warning? not actually serious. just pointing out how ridiculous your argument is when you flip it to "normal people".

[Thetruth1400]

Sounds like another case of "Diversity for the sake of diversity"

Agreed. Why we need the sexual orientation of characters is beyond me. Would have been a hell of a lot easier and less alienating to just say, "They're video game characters, they don't have sexual relationships."

Hell, someone is going to get offended no matter who they choose. You're either going to have people go "That character doesn't REALLY represent me as an (insert anything here) person!" or you'll have the, "It's pretty offensive that you chose (insert character) because it's clear you only chose them because of the stereotypes of (insert anything here), how dare you?!"


Let the community write its own fan fiction. If people choose to associate themselves with a character based on one of those fan theories, let them. The internet loves to hook up Mercy with both Pharah and Soldier: 76. Is there any sense at all in not just letting them be with that? "Sorry half of you, but the imaginary backstory you created is wrong, our imaginary backstory is the only right one!" How stupid.