The new look rolls out next week
Blizzard Entertainment has announced the new name for the cowboy sharpshooter ofOverwatch. TheOverwatchhero is now named Cole Cassidy, with an in-game update rolling out on Oct. 26 to make it official.
The character was previously named after an Activision Blizzard employee. They were one ofseveral who departed the companyin the wake ofCalifornia’s lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging discrimination and a toxic work culture at the company. Several other references to employeeshave been steadily removedfrom fellow Blizzard gameWorld of Warcraftas well.
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch)August 05, 2025
Employees have organized awalkoutandsigned lettersdemanding change from the higher-ups at Activision Blizzard. The Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s lawsuit itself has become even more complicated recently, as thedepartment intervenedin asettlementbetween the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Activision Blizzard.
The new Cole Cassidy will arrive inOverwatchnext week, and Blizzard also wrote out a bit of lore to explain, in-universe, the change.
“The first thing a renegade loses is their name, and this one gave up his long ago. Running from his past meant running from himself, and each passing year only widened the divide between who he had been and what he had become. But in every cowboy’s life, there comes a time when he has to make a stand.
“To make this new Overwatch better—to make things right—he had to be honest with his team and himself. The cowboy he was rode into the sunset, and Cole Cassidy faced the world at dawn.”
