Some Overwatch skins have been drawing criticism for cultural appropriation and ethnically stereotypical designs. Pharah’s Raindancer skin, for example, draws on a hodgepodge of Native American imagery despite the character’s Egyptian origins. Now, some Hindus are calling for the removal of a Symmetra skin.
The skin in question depicts the Symmetra in the form of the goddess Devi, which Hindu statesman Rajan Zed calls inappropriate, suggesting that it trivializes the religion’s revered goddess. Zed calls upon Blizzard to follow its own published core values, citing the line ”As one of the world’s leading game companies, we’re committed to making ethical decisions.”
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“Controlling and manipulating Devi with a joystick/ button/keyboard/mouse was denigration. Devi was meant to be worshipped in temples and home shrines and not to be reduced to just a ‘character’ in a video game to be used in combat in the virtual battleground,” reads Zed’s statement, adding that “Hindus were for free speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at belittling it hurt the devotees.”
Blizzard has yet to respond to Zed’s statement. While trivial depictions of religious figures are certainly nothing new in entertainment, Overwatch’s broad appeal and diverse player base are sure to draw more attention than many other examples.
