Overwatch China says players “cherish” Anran’s current look as Blizzard plans to modify her

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The Chinese version of Overwatch, operated by NetEase, has reacted to Blizzard’s choice to change the appearance of the hero Anran following criticism from players and the voice actor who portrays her.

Anran is one of the five new heroes in Overwatch. She was initially shown in an animated short about her brother, Wuyang, who is a support character, but her appearance changed when she was officially released as a playable hero.

Numerous fans, including Anran’s voice actress in English, Fareeha Andersen (who also streams on Twitch), asked Blizzard to change the character’s design. Andersen explained that Anran’s initial appearance in comics and cinematics led people to believe Overwatch would challenge unrealistic and potentially damaging beauty standards.

She highlighted the recent trend of extremely thin appearances – often called “Ozempic chic” – and very defined facial features as examples of the unrealistic beauty standards she feels are prevalent in today’s media.

I’m thrilled to announce that I’m the voice of Anran in Overwatch! I waited to share this news because I wanted to be able to talk about it properly. Let’s all support the potential she has, and I hope you enjoy playing as her! 🔥🪭

— Fareeha (@AskFareeha) February 8, 2026

During a recent discussion, the Game Director for Overwatch stated they intended to update the hero’s look. However, this announcement sparked further criticism when an official Overwatch account for China shared that players in that region didn’t want the changes made.

Overwatch China speaks out amid Blizzard’s plans to update Anran’s appearance

On the social media platform Weibo, the NetEase account publicly discussed Blizzard’s upcoming changes to hero designs.

We’re very proud to have added Anran, our newest hero with Chinese origins, and we’re grateful for the enthusiastic and thoughtful feedback we’ve received from players in China since she was released.

As a big fan, I know everyone has different tastes, and what looks good really depends on where you’re from and what you like. I’ve been making sure the Blizzard team knows that a lot of Chinese players really love Anran’s current look and feel strongly about it. I’m committed to keeping their opinions front and center as they talk about any future changes – their voices deserve to be heard!

The Overwatch team in China explained that they don’t just share what players say – they’re directly involved in making changes to the game, using their strong understanding of what Chinese players want and feel.

NetEase (Overwatch China) releases official statement on Anran: Protecting the cultural spirit of our Chinese Hero
byu/Iris-54 inCompetitiveoverwatch

The team stressed that Anran’s final design needs to consider feedback from many different viewpoints. If any changes are made later, they’ll continue to work closely with her to refine the visuals and ensure it still captures what the community loves about it.

Anran, a newly graduated hero, is courageous and determined, always ready to face whatever comes her way – qualities we all hope to see. We’re confident that open communication and shared principles will lead Overwatch to a brighter future, they said.

Blizzard plans to update the hero Anran sometime during the first season, but according to Game Director Aaron Keller, hero designs are very complex. The team needs time to thoroughly test any changes before releasing them.

It remains to be seen whether the developers will proceed with redesigning the hero, or if feedback from Chinese fans will prompt Blizzard to reconsider their plans.

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2026-02-10 23:51