Overwatch is one of the most popular video games out there. And it’s a game that isn’t afraid to go all the way with its erotic potential. One of the ways that this is apparent is through the creation of lewd cosplay that reinterprets Overwatchheroes in sexually explicit contexts. Two of the most well-known examples of this are the content created by Raychul Moore and Meg Turney. These works, like the pornography produced by Brazzers and VR Cosplay X, feature costumes that closely mimic Overwatch’s character designs and a pinup/glamor aesthetic that blurs the line between official and unofficial lore.
The popularity of this erotic content can be attributed to a number of factors. Overwatch features a diverse cast of female characters that are easily identifiable by fans, as well as a supportive community that encourages its players to create queer headcanons. In addition, the availability of free-to-use software such as Source Filmmaker and Blender makes it easy for artists to create sexy videos. But the staying power of Overwatch as a sexual hub also has to do with its enduring popularity and the fact that it’s a multiplayer game.
The multiplayer aspect of Overwatch is a key point, as it reinscribes the assumption that gaming is a male domain and that women, at best, are support characters. It also reinforces the idea that women are opportunistic, attention seeking, and interested in a man’s desire for them. Combined with the fetishization of gaming and its culture, this gives rise to the opportunistic voyeuristic pornographies that circulate online.
These pornographic reinterpretations of Overwatch play highlight the sexist nature of the game’s narrative and the misogyny that pervades its gameplay and esports. As Susanna Paasonen argues, pornography presents the woman’s body as a distorted mirror on which to project a desire for masculine attention and power. In Overwatch pornography, this is evident in the portrayal of women players in esports as a “reassurance” of normative heterosexual dominance in the game’s fantasy world.
A few months ago, Overwatch’s Shanghai Dragons announced the recruitment of an esports player named Ellie (her gamertag is Geguri). The announcement was met with cheers from the arena and excitement on social media. But it wasn’t just the fans that were excited: so was Ellie. In her real life, she’s a 22-year-old who lives in California and works as a webcam host who does shows for paying clients. She plays Overwatch with friends and cheers for Seoul Dynasty in the Overwatch League, and is a proud Mercy main. She’s also an Overwatch camgirl, doing erotic shows for fans who watch her livestreams.