Overwatch Players Across Europe Furious With Pride Event Ban

thegamer.com:

Overwatch 2 players in Central and Eastern Europe are shocked to find that they can't access the Pride event, even if their country doesn't have any laws against LGBTQ+ material. While Blizzard hasn't confirmed which countries won't be able to participate in the event, players in Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Lithuania say that it's not appearing on their accounts.

While many in these regions may harbour anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs - with Hungary and Lithuania passing homophobic legislation - queer players in these countries feel abandoned and confused by this decision. Some point to the fact that other games that feature LGBTQ+ content have launched without issue, and say that Blizzard itself is discriminating against players for not releasing the update in their country.

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"There is no reason for Pride event stuff to be blocked in Poland, and yet it is," says Blizzard Forums user, Polar. "Contrary to popular belief, people in Poland do not get imprisoned for being part of the LGBTQ+, and although expressing your identity in this country can be hard with the current social-political landscape, there are in fact no laws that prohibit you from doing so.

"Poland is not like Russia. The comic in which it was revealed that Tracer was in a relationship with another girl was NOT censored in Poland [...] Please fix it. I want to see the rainbow Midtown."

Players in other regions are also finding that they can't access the event, with another user sharing how they felt when they realised they wouldn't be able to see the Pride material.

"Gaming is my escape where I can be accepted, free and I do not have to think about the horrors of the world," says Venudite. "But now