why was mccree renamed

Overwatch’s gunslinger McCree was renamed to Cole Cassidy because his original name was directly taken from a Blizzard developer, Jesse McCree, who became publicly tied to the company’s sexual harassment and “frat boy” culture allegations; Blizzard chose to distance the hero from that real person and stated they no longer wanted in‑game characters named after employees, positioning the change as part of a broader push toward a more inclusive, fictional universe.

Why was McCree renamed?

The real‑world reason

• Jesse McCree (the developer) was a long‑time Blizzard designer whose name was used directly for the cowboy hero in Overwatch.

• In 2021, California’s lawsuit and multiple reports described pervasive sexual harassment and a “frat boy” workplace culture at Activision Blizzard, and Jesse McCree was cited in coverage and community discussions about that culture.

• Blizzard then confirmed that the hero would be renamed “to something that better represents what Overwatch stands for,” explicitly acknowledging the need to separate the character from the real person.

Blizzard framed this as both an ethical and reputational move: they did not want survivors, employees, or players to see a widely used hero carrying the name of someone associated with the misconduct narrative.

The new name: Cole Cassidy

• In October 2021, Blizzard announced the hero’s new name: Cole Cassidy.

• Along with the rename, Blizzard removed and rerecorded all in‑game voice lines that said “McCree,” updating them to “Cassidy” to fully commit to the new identity.

• Blizzard also stated that, going forward, Overwatch characters would no longer be named after real employees, emphasizing that Overwatch should feel like a clearly fictional universe rather than a reference to specific staff.

From a story point of view, Blizzard added flavor text suggesting Cassidy was his “real” name and that the old one was a pseudonym he was leaving behind, but fans generally see this as a lore patch over a fundamentally real‑world decision.

Community and forum discussion angle

On forums and Reddit, you’ll see a few recurring viewpoints about why McCree was renamed and whether it was the “right” move.

Supportive views

• Some players and employees felt it was important not to log in and constantly see the name of someone linked (symbolically or directly) to a harmful workplace culture.

• Supporters argue the rename is a small but concrete step toward making the game space feel safer and more respectful, especially for people affected by the events behind the lawsuit.

Critical or skeptical views

• Other players argued that changing the name was “token” or “PR,” suggesting that it does not fix deeper structural issues behind the allegations.

• Some longtime fans felt attached to the name “McCree” and disliked what they saw as rewriting history or “retconning” for non‑lore reasons.

Even among critics, though, many accept that Blizzard could not realistically keep spotlighting a name directly tied to the controversy without facing ongoing backlash.

In‑universe story explanation

Blizzard’s story materials and community explanations give a light narrative reason for the change.

• “Cole Cassidy” is presented as the character’s original birth name, with “Jesse McCree” treated as an alias he used during his time with the Deadlock Gang and Blackwatch.

• The idea is that, as he tries to “make things right” and rejoin the fight in the Overwatch 2 era, he drops the alias and returns to his real name, symbolizing a fresh start.

However, even fans who like the lore beat generally acknowledge that the true reason is external: removing the association with the real Jesse McCree and aligning the game with Blizzard’s post‑lawsuit messaging about inclusivity and accountability.

TL;DR: McCree was renamed to Cole Cassidy because the hero was named after a Blizzard developer tied to the company’s harassment scandal, and Blizzard wanted to distance Overwatch from that association, stop naming heroes after real employees, and present the change as part of a broader effort toward a healthier, more inclusive brand and story.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.