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Overwatch’s Symmetra has autism, Jeffrey Kaplan confirms in touching letter to fan

Symmetra is autistic, Jeffrey Kaplan says (Blizzard)
Symmetra has autism, Jeffrey Kaplan says (Blizzard)

The team behind Overwatch has spoken on many occasions about making the most diverse and accepting multiplayer game on the market. Whether it’s their ethnically- and gender-diverse cast or the confirmation that de facto lead character Tracer is gay, Blizzard has been working to make sure that a wide variety of people are represented in their shooter.

The latest example of this comes in the form of a letter written by game director Jeffrey Kaplan to a fan. In the letter, Kaplan confirms that the turret-building support Symmetra is on the autism spectrum, something that was hinted at in the Symmetra: A Better World comic released last year.

“I’m glad you asked about Symmetra,” Kaplan wrote. “It was very astute of you to notice that she mentioned the spectrum in our comic. Symmetra is autistic. She is one of our most beloved heroes and we think she does a great job of representing just how awesome someone with autism can be.”

Autistic representation is uncommon in video games, and is almost never present in triple-A titles.

Blizzard’s committal to creating a welcoming, explicitly diverse game is certainly something to be applauded. For a such an immensely popular game, it’s somewhat unprecedented.

For more Overwatch coverage, head over to the Yahoo Esports Overwatch hub.


Follow Taylor Cocke on Twitter @taylorcocke.