Overwatch's McCree officially renamed to Cole Cassidy

Following the tumultuous period that saw Blizzard sued by the state of California over work environment concerns, agreeing to an $18 million settlement as a result, the dev team behind Overwatch has finally revealed McCree's new name -- Cole Cassidy.

After the cowboy's namesake in real life and former Blizzard employee Jesse McCree was spotted in the infamous "Cosby Room," the Overwatch development crew confirmed their intentions to rename the damage dealer. 

Meet Cole Cassidy.

Rides into Overwatch October 26. pic.twitter.com/CT6PmaNXNs

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) October 22, 2021

Via an official post on the Overwatch Twitter account, Cole's name change was tied to the character's backstory, who was previously part of the notorious Deadlock Gang before being forced into the Overwatch task force after being captured. The name change will take effect this upcoming 26th October.

"Running from his past means running from himself, and each passing year only widened the divide between who he had been and who he had become. But in every cowboy's life, there comes a time when he has to stop and make a stand."

It was a slow process, with a recent Overwatch update removing all voice lines using the cowboy's previous name. Reaction to the change has been mixed, with Twitch streamer Asmongold criticising the decision when it first was announced.

It remains to be seen how long will it take for voice actors to record lines using the brand-new cowboy's name. Furthermore, no news regarding a possible VA switch has been revealed, so it's safe to say, Matthew Mercer will continue to reprise Cole for Overwatch 2.

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Featured image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.