Overwatch 2 Fans Call Out Blizzard for Recycling Tracer Highlight in Street Fighter Collab

With the iconic Overwatch 2 and Street Fighter crossover now underway, fans and players alike are diving into all the new content the event brings. While much of it features the usual flair and excitement expected from an Overwatch 2 collaboration, one detail has caught the community’s attention for the wrong reasons. An animation originally used for Tracer appears to have been reused for another character in the event, and fans are calling it out in droves.

Overwatch 2 Fans Call Out Blizzard for Recycling Tracer Highlight in Street Fighter Collab

Players diving into the new Overwatch 2 and Street Fighter crossover have uncovered an interesting—and controversial—detail. Kiriko’s intro highlight is almost identical, shot-for-shot, to the one previously given to Tracer. Both pay tribute to the iconic motorcycle scene from Akira, featuring a side drift and a glance toward the camera.

Blizzard reused a Tracer Highlight intro for the Kiriko SF6 Collab
byu/Dzudio inOverwatch

Reddit users were quick to point this out, calling Blizzard out for what many see as a blatant asset reuse. Despite the cosmetics being different, the animations are nearly a one-to-one copy. This has sparked quite a bit of backlash, with one user commenting, “I knew it looked familiar. They’re getting too comfortable if they think this is something they can just do.”

Another user added, “They couldn’t even remove the Tracer logos from the bike, let alone reskin it to match Juri’s black and pink bike from the Street Fighter 6 cutscene they’re referencing. It’s total reuse of a Tracer asset with no shame and zero effort to change it.”

One fan joked, “The first time we see her on a bike and it’s not hers. Lol,” referencing Kiriko’s in-game voice line: “Wait till you see me on my bike.” From the community’s reaction, it seems the real issue isn’t just the reuse itself, but the lack of care and originality in doing so.

Many shows, movies, and animated franchises pay tribute to that famous Akira moment, as it’s one of the most influential pieces of media in recent history. So, fans likely aren’t upset about both Kiriko and Tracer referencing it. The main frustration lies in Blizzard missing the chance to make Kiriko’s version more unique, with distinct visual changes that would make it truly her own.