Overwatch 2 has temporarily removed a police vehicle from one of its maps. While this change may not have been as obvious as its other decorations for Pride Month, it was no less important to many Overwatch 2 fans.
This year, Overwatch 2 is celebrating Pride Month in a big way. In addition to a huge collection of free cosmetics for all players and a short story exploring the sexual identities of several heroes, Overwatch 2 is also decorating the Midtown map with an in-game Pride parade.
Some fans noticed an interesting detail about the temporary map update. Near the Midtown Tunnel, there is typically an NYPD patrol car parked near a stoplight. However, in the Pride version of the Midtown map in Overwatch 2, the cop car has been removed and replaced with a mint-colored minivan covered in rainbow confetti.
Removing the police vehicle from the Pride parade holds a great deal of significance. Pride Month takes place in June primarily because of the Stonewall Riots that began on June 28, 1969. These protests were in response to a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in New York City, and sparked gay rights movements across the US. Because of this, active duty police officers are rarely welcome at Pride events, with “No Cops at Pride” being a common slogan used by attendees.
Needless to say, many LGBTQ+ Overwatch 2 fans were glad to see this subtle change implemented in the map. It proved the Overwatch 2 developers–many of which are a part of the LGBTQ+ community–did their homework and paid attention to small details. Some fans even said they would prefer if this particular change stayed, even after the Midtown map returns to its normal version in July.
That said, some fans pointed out the irony that about half the playable characters in Overwatch 2 could be considered cops. The game hosts a cast full of law enforcement and private security officers, and many characters have police-themed skins, even if the reformed Overwatch group is no longer government-sanctioned.
The Overwatch 2 Pride celebration will run through the entirety of June, but all current and future players will receive the free cosmetics automatically, even after the event. While some Overwatch 2 fans are underwhelmed by the lack of content during the Pride event, the fact it exists at all is a big step in the right direction. Hopefully, Overwatch 2 can take what it learns this year and make an even bigger Pride Month celebration next year.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.