Overwatch’s Anran redesign is a massive improvement from Blizzard

Blizzard confirmed off a fast have a look at Anran’s redesign in Overwatch, following up on a promise made to do the character justice after her preliminary in-game reveal prompted widespread backlash.

Blizzard posted the announcement on Monday on the Overwatch X account with a picture highlighting main adjustments and one displaying the distinction between her new and previous mannequin. Main adjustments embody widening her jaw and cheeks, elevating one eyebrow to counsel confidence, and including freckles and darker shading. She additionally assumes what Blizzard described in an accompanying graphic as a “extra assured pose” along with a “extra centered” expression.

Anran’s nostril was initially some extent of rivalry for the way small it was (Anran’s voice actor Fareeha Andersen called it “Ozempic chic”) although that may, apparently, not be modified within the redesign. Blizzard additionally posted a picture displaying how Anran’s new look helps her extra carefully resemble Wuyang, her youthful brother within the sport.

Blizzard first teased Anran as a playable character in 2025 throughout a cinematic trailer, however her in-game mannequin regarded drastically totally different from what folks have been led to anticipate. It wasn’t only a disconnect between seeing the character in an animated quick and seeing her 3D mannequin. Anran’s unique mannequin carefully resembled Kiriko’s and that of different “cute” characters, and whereas face-swapping is not distinctive to Overwatch (or Blizzard, for that matter), the design went in opposition to the assured warrior-in-training persona Blizzard needed to construct up for her.

Overwatch followers stuffed Reddit with proposed fixes. Fareeha Andersen posted a video expressing her disappointment and saying she had shared her issues with Blizzard, too.

“I obtained to mourn Anran between the design I had hoped for her and the design we ended up with, as a result of I feel in her comedian and her cinematic, there was a precedent set by it,” Andersen mentioned on the time. “There was an unstated promise that mentioned, ‘We will problem the wonder requirements plaguing, ransacking media lately.’ Due to that precedent, folks really feel understandably let down.”

Andersen hadn’t posted in regards to the change on the time of publication, however the response on Reddit was fast and constructive.

“Yay, they deJunofied her,” one commenter said, referring to previous posts that overlaid Juno with Anran to point out how related the 2 designs have been.

“Hopefully this adjustments their perspective on feminine characters going ahead,” one other mentioned. Cease with the generic feminine template.”

Anran’s redesign will debut throughout Overwatch season 2, which is ready to start after the top of the April Fools’ event on April 14.