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The first point on the hybrid map Midtown is filled with rainbow colored confetti and features a Pride flag directly next to a United States flag at the first capture point.
Midtown's capture point includes a Pride flag this month. Image via Blizzard Entertianment
Category:
Overwatch

Overwatch’s Pride event is blocked in some countries, and fans demand change

Not everyone is allowed to share their pride.
Image of Max Miceli
Max Miceli
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Published: Jun 2, 2023 05:27 pm

Blizzard is celebrating Pride month in Overwatch 2 with a slew of cosmetics and an aesthetic update to the hybrid Midtown map in June, but not all players are able to experience the event that is meant to promote inclusivity.

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While the event began on June 1, the devs had previously admitted that the event wouldn’t be available in some countries that have anti-LGBTQ+ laws, and many players have learned that includes portions of central and eastern Europe.

Now, players on social media have started to voice their displeasure with Blizzard’s decision to keep LGBTQ+ content out of countries where laws aren’t favorable for the community. In a few posts to Reddit, players have come through to give strong support for unlocking the Pride content, even suggesting that other games with LGBTQ+ content do not withhold that from their gamers, including Apex Legends.

Related: Blizzard finally confirms 2 more LGBTQ+ Overwatch 2 heroes, celebrates Pride with free cosmetics

Blizzard’s Pride month celebration includes 15 different player icons and 24 player name cards that represent pride for many sexualities and gender expressions, as well as the broader rainbow flag. Additionally, the hybrid map Midtown is dressed up to look like a Pride parade is strolling through the city.

In a quote published by Dexerto, OW2 game director Aaron Keller seemed to imply that locking the content in certain countries is intended to be less about restricting fan access and more about ensuring gamer safety.

Related: All LGBTQ+ characters in Overwatch 2

“Our values are to protect players,” Aaron Keller added. “We want to protect players around the world. You can equip a cosmetic in one country and travel to somewhere else with different rules and get in trouble. So we feel like it’s our responsibility to help protect people like that and follow the laws in countries that we operate in.”

Dot Esports has reached out to Blizzard about which countries do not have access to Pride month content and what went into that decision making process, but they have yet to comment at time of publication.

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Author
Image of Max Miceli
Max Miceli
Senior Staff Writer. Max graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a journalism and political science degree in 2015. He previously worked for The Esports Observer covering the streaming industry before joining Dot where he now helps with Overwatch 2 coverage.
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