How Overwatch 2’s Gundam Wing Collab Was Informed By Gunpla

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In a fresh development, Overwatch 2 has returned with another exciting anime collaboration, and this time it harks back to the fond memories of 2000s anime enthusiasts: the iconic series, Gundam Wing.

For individuals who reminisce about watching anime on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block in the past, it’s quite possible that their initial encounter with the extensive mecha series was Gundam Wing. Although it didn’t receive high ratings or positive feedback when initially broadcast in Japan, the anime experienced a revival in North America several years later due to its afternoon time slot. With its thrilling mech battles and intense sci-fi melodrama, Gundam Wing played a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for the entire Gundam universe in the West. In this process, it spawned a new wave of Gundam enthusiasts hungry for more content, which facilitated the importation of additional Gundam shows and fostered a demand for the franchise’s popular Gunpla plastic model kits.

Fast forward to 2025, and Gundam Wing is marking its 30th anniversary with a variety of special events, one of which involves a collaboration with Blizzard’s free-to-play shooter, Overwatch. Four exclusive skins will be available for purchase, each inspired by beloved Mobile Suit designs from the show. Mercy assumes the role of Gundam Wing Zero, Soldier: 76 becomes the famous Tallgeese, piloted in the series by Zechs Merquise in a mask, Ramattra transforms into the menacing Gundam Epyon, and Reaper takes on the character of Gundam Deathscythe.

As a passionate fan, I got an exclusive opportunity to converse with Dion Rogers, Overwatch 2’s art director, and Aimee Dennett, associate director of product management, unveiling the intriguing journey that led to the crossover event, their experiences collaborating with Bandai, why certain Gundam Wing characters weren’t included, and the significant impact Gunpla model kits had on choosing which Mobile Suits were showcased and the appearance of the skins themselves.

Blizzard has been eager for quite some time to work together with Gundam, as this is one of the most frequently requested intellectual properties among their team members. Once they contacted Bandai, the prospective crossover started to align perfectly with the 30th anniversary of Gundam Wing.

One of the initial choices Blizzard faced was about the Mobile Suit designs from Gundam Wing they preferred to employ: either those from the original series or the ones introduced in the sequel film, Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz. In the end, Blizzard chose the latter designs, but it wasn’t an effortless choice.

As a devoted fan, I found myself grappling with an intriguing dilemma: should we adopt the designs from the Gundam Wing series, or opt for those from the Endless Waltz film? This quandary effectively doubled our creative options. In the end, we painstakingly crafted most characters in both the show design and film design. However, we yearned for consistency, and a mix didn’t seem ideal. Ultimately, we developed a fondness for the ensemble of the film designs.

When choosing Overwatch characters for new skins, Rogers explained that they considered several elements. Primarily, they focused on selecting characters that seemed appropriate or unexpected. They then took into account factors such as whether a character hadn’t had a skin in a while or which ones might catch players off guard with their use. Certain pairings were also evident for thematic reasons, like Reaper and Deathscythe, or visual reasons, such as Wing Zero and Mercy due to their shared winged appearance.

Initially, more Mobile Suits and Overwatch characters were considered for collaboration, but only four were ultimately selected. Despite the desire to create a partnership featuring D.Va, given her existing role as a mech pilot, the team at Blizzard found it challenging to bring that concept to life.

For instance, Ana was initially intended for Tallgeese, however, it didn’t materialize as planned. Gundam Heavyarms, a beloved character in the series, seemed perfect for the gatling-gun carrying Mauga, but that combination also fell through, with Zarya being another possibility. Dennett found Mauga’s Heavyarms weapon to be astonishing, but ultimately, the skin didn’t fit Mauga’s character well.

According to Dennett, Heavyarms was indeed part of our team. He experimented with pairing Heavyarms against Mauga because their combat styles are remarkably alike. It’s amusing how ideas that seem obvious in theory can look quite different when put into practice. Some combinations fall flat, while others shine brilliantly. We hadn’t initially thought of Tallgeese working with Soldier: 76, but once we saw the final design, it was a stark contrast to Mauga Heavyarms. Our reaction was, “Wow, that looks fantastic!

Choosing the Mobile Suits for the collaboration was a process in itself, as Blizzard explained it was influenced not just by the Gundam Wing fans within their Overwatch team, but also with assistance from Bandai. Furthermore, they worked together with Blizzard to determine how each character should be visually portrayed.

Rogers mentioned that Overwatch crossover skins typically depict the game’s characters dressing up as their preferred characters, akin to cosplay. Initially, Blizzard made an effort to make these skins look more like Gundam and less like Overwatch, taking player feedback from past collaborations into account while still preserving each character’s distinct and recognizable outline. However, Bandai later requested designs that showcased the Overwatch heroes more prominently, such as Ramattra.

Bandai expressed a preference for more than simply layering Gundam Wing onto Overwatch, according to Rogers. Instead, they desired a highly cooperative experience, with an emphasis on the fact that while our characters remain present, it’s their intellectual property that is being utilized.

Bandai utilized concrete sales figures from Gunpla model kits as a reference point for deciding which Mobile Suits would be ideal for collaboration, and an artist from Bandai who specializes in Gunpla kit artworks also provided the collaborative project with its in-game lobby artwork.

As a gamer, I can tell you that nobody made me follow any rules, everything was more like friendly advice. However, they did provide us with a list ranking their Gunpla sales, which certainly influenced our decision-making process. Now, this doesn’t mean that Gunpla sales were the only factor, but it definitely played a significant role in helping us decide which choices seemed more obvious and which ones were less clear.

In the construction process, Gunpla models served as references for the real-life skin designs. According to Rogers, the team studied the physical Gunpla models of each Mobile Suit and aimed to replicate the structure within their corresponding skins.

In Rogers’ words, we aimed to replicate the underlying structure of the Gunpla (the in-game models) as closely as possible on the characters, while still keeping them human. It’s a fairly accurate representation, considering the limitations of human forms.

The collaboration between Overwatch 2 and Gundam Wing starts on April 29! Four skins inspired by Mobile Suits will be available in the game store, along with them come free rewards related to Gundam, such as a special Pachimari weapon charm. Each skin’s bundle (alongside additional items like sprays and Play of the Game animations) costs 2,800 Overwatch Coins. If you want everything, there’s a mega bundle that goes for 5,900 coins.

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2025-04-28 19:09