Controversial Changes to Iconic Zenyatta Skin in Overwatch 2 Leaves Fans Divided

Highlights

Zenyatta's Pinocchio skin has been downgraded in Overwatch 2, upsetting fans and sparking controversy.

Zenyatta's orbs of destruction no longer have a wooden appearance, marking a change from before. This incident adds to the recent string of skin controversies, with Orisa's Forest Spirit skin facing a similar issue. This has left fans questioning whether these changes are intentional or a glitch.

The Pinocchio skin for Zenyatta in Overwatch 2 has caused disappointment among fans, as it appears to have been downgraded. It is unclear whether this change was intentional or accidental, but it marks the second recent controversy surrounding Overwatch 2 skins, with both incidents sharing similarities.

In Overwatch 2, legendary skins are highly sought-after cosmetic items that allow players to customize the appearance of their heroes. These skins are considered to be of the highest rarity and often include unique visual effects, altered animations, or other character-specific changes. During season 4 of Overwatch 2, Zenyatta, the Omnic monk known for his long-range attacks and healing abilities, received a highly regarded legendary skin that transformed him into Pinocchio. The fanbase adored this skin for its charming design and the innovative feature of Zenyatta's nose growing as he used his abilities.

Reddit user Fya3754 was among the first fans of Overwatch 2 to notice a modification in Zenyatta's legendary skin. They posted an image on the Overwatch subreddit, bringing attention to the issue. This controversy revolves around Zenyatta's "Orbs of Destruction," which typically have a metallic appearance. However, with the Pinocchio skin, the orbs used to be wooden to match the theme. Currently, the orbs are silver and gray with a peculiar design on them. To better understand the difference, watch this video showcasing how the Orbs of Destruction appeared with the Pinocchio skin before the alteration:

Zenyatta’s fans are expressing their dissatisfaction with the recent change, speculating whether it was an intentional decision made by Blizzard or simply a bug. In Overwatch 2, there are typically bugs and glitches related to gameplay, rather than skins. A commenter suggested that the developers might be grappling with "spaghetti code," a term used to describe source code lacking structure due to numerous changes over time or insufficient detailed notes left by previous programmers. Given that Overwatch 2 is an extension of the original game released in 2016, this possibility holds weight.

This situation resembles the controversy surrounding Orisa’s Forest Spirit skin from about two months ago. Blizzard had initially released a skin for Orisa that replaced her metal spear with a wooden one, which later reverted back to its original design after a few weeks. Both Zenyatta’s orbs and Orisa’s spear were transformed into wood for their respective reskins, leading to the speculation that the wooden texture may be causing issues during gameplay or affecting other aspects of the game. It is unclear whether Blizzard intentionally made these changes or if they are a result of glitches. No explanation has been provided thus far.

Overwatch 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.