Blizzard has announced a redesign for Anran, a new hero in Overwatch, in response to criticism from the community regarding her appearance in the game. Anran is one of the two new damage heroes being introduced this week, and while her gameplay has been well-received by fans, concerns have been raised about her visual design by players and even the voice actor herself.

Fans accused Blizzard of creating a ‘same face syndrome’ with Anran, as her facial features seemed too similar to other female characters in the game. An illustrative video demonstrated how changing Anran’s headgear to that of other characters made her almost indistinguishable from them.

The character design of Anran sparked controversy among Overwatch players due to the drastic departure from her original appearance in the game’s lore. In previous animated comic shorts, Anran had more angular facial features and a longer nose. The current design features softened features, a rounder face, and a smaller nose, prompting the voice actor to express her desire for a change.

Voice actor Fareeha expressed disappointment in Anran’s new design, highlighting that the initial depiction challenged conventional beauty standards. Blizzard’s game director, Aaron Keller, acknowledged the feedback and mentioned plans to adjust Anran’s appearance to align better with the character’s envisioned portrayal as a strong older sister.

The Overwatch team is considering implementing the update in Season 1, with the complexity of hero models requiring thorough testing. Season 1 of Overwatch commences today at 7 pm GMT, marking the beginning of a year-long celebration for the game’s tenth anniversary, with new heroes being introduced periodically.