Just recently, Blizzard Entertainment's Jeff Kaplan participated in a surprise Ask Me Anything (AMA) session last Monday. Several fans reportedly asked the "Overwatch" game director about the early stages of the game's development. The game director shared that Tracer was the first ever hero they integrated into the game. However, she was reportedly very different from what fans see right now.
Kaplan described her to be very different from the dual-firearms and the fast-paced movements that propel her across the map. Game Rant reports that according to the developer, the game's mascot's early build fired lasers from her eyes. This was reportedly due to the lack of in-game models for the guns and its animations. He said "we did not have any animations or gun models" which apparently resulted to her shooting "laser beams from her eyes".
Sources have noted the Jeff Kaplan did not obviously suggest that Tracer was initially slated to have superpowers. However, it's due to the development limitations that the "Overwatch" development team at Blizzard Entertainment encountered at the time. The developers did not have the in-game models of her weapons and costumes ready but wanted to have the character perform a projectile attack.
Previous reports have claimed that Torbjorn was the original design inspiration for the title. Nevertheless, she was still the first hero "implemented" into the game. It's also quite apparent that she has become the game's mascot and is even showcased on the box art of the physical copies of the game. Additionally, the AMA with Kaplan also reached a discussion about their canceled game prior to their creation of the team-based FPS.
"Overwatch" has become one of the most-beloved shooters, according to several critics. Its success has already seen Blizzard Entertainment release more characters for the game. Tracer has become an icon associated with the popular FPS and it's about to officially welcome its newest hero Orisa. Additionally, Gamenguide reports that more story content is on its way soon. Jeff Kaplan's AMA reportedly ended without any teasers or hints about future content.
