A fan once revealed that Widowmaker, a popular character in the Overwatch series, initially had a different design that was butchered by Blizzard.

Widowmaker from Overwatch and Marvel Rivals

Widowmaker, a Damage hero in Overwatch 2, is one of the 21 heroes that were introduced when Overwatch was initially released, however, her final design was very different from the initial concept art. Blizzard Entertainment initially planned to give her a more menacing look as she was supposed to have dead, blank eyes. In the final version of the game, her eyes were changed.

Widowmaker in Overwatch 2Overwatch 2 fans have criticized Blizzard for changing Widowmaker’s eyes (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Over the years, many have argued that Blizzard made a mistake by changing her eye design as it completely took away her intimidating, unsettling vibe. Some changes were made to her design when Blizzard moved on to Overwatch 2, however, her menacing eyes still didn’t make it. Many players love the original eye design as they believe it would fit her overall personality.

Blizzard Entertainment Changed Widowmaker’s Design Before Overwatch‘s Release

Widowmaker in Overwatch 2Her original eye design was much more unsettling (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Widowmaker is probably one of the most intimidating characters in Overwatch 2, however, she could’ve been far more menacing if Blizzard didn’t get rid of her original eye design. A player on the r/Overwatch subreddit replaced her eyes in all the artworks for the game to show how different her eyes could’ve been.

Her initial concept art convinced many players that she was supposed to be a character that barely had any expressions. Not everyone is a huge fan of this redesign as many pointed out that it looked hilarious, but they admitted that this perfectly fits her “no emotion” persona.

Blizzard made some changes to Widowmaker when Overwatch 2 was released but many were disappointed to learn that she still didn’t have the original eyes. Overwatch 2 was dominating the hero shooter genre, however, another game is now attempting to take the crown.

Marvel Rivals Might Kill Overwatch 2‘s Hype

Widowmaker in Overwatch 2Marvel Rivals has managed to cut down Overwatch 2‘s popularity (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

In December 2024, NetEase Games’ Marvel Rivals was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. It quickly became a worldwide sensation but many pointed out that it featured elements that were similar to Overwatch 2. Despite being a close copy, Marvel Rivals has managed to overtake Overwatch 2 as the game has already broken some major records.

The character designs in Marvel Rivals are certainly far better than the ones in Overwatch 2. The redesign of Widowmaker just proves that Blizzard’s approach to designing its characters was not the best.

Marvel Rivals is indeed an exciting game, but it’s too soon for it to take the crown as players have started discovering its flaws. The game has been accused of using a rigged matchmaking system in order to increase profits as many have claimed to be playing matches with bots.