Overwatch 2’s Biggest Mistake Yet
▼ Summary
– Overwatch 2 is adding a “6-7” emote, a reference to a popular but meaningless meme often repeated by children.
– The meme originated from video edits about tall basketball players and went viral with a shrugging motion, despite having no real meaning.
– The author, a Soldier: 76 main, criticizes this as Blizzard chasing viral trends and moving away from the game’s own worldbuilding.
– Despite this criticism, the author acknowledges Overwatch 2 is currently in its best state since launch due to new modes, systems, and heroes.
– The author plans to play as Soldier: 76 to prevent others from spamming the emote, expressing frustration with this trend of crossover and meme content.
If you’ve spent any time online recently, you’ve likely encountered the baffling “6-7” meme, a phrase that has spread rapidly among younger audiences. Overwatch 2 is now officially embracing this trend by adding a “6-7” emote for Soldier: 76, a move that highlights the game’s continued shift toward chasing viral moments over strengthening its own unique identity. This decision represents a significant departure from the original game’s carefully crafted world, opting instead for the kind of ephemeral pop culture references that define other live-service titles.
The “6-7” phenomenon is notoriously difficult to explain because it essentially lacks any concrete meaning. It originated in video edits featuring tall basketball players, then evolved when a clip of a kid saying the numbers while performing a pseudo-shrugging motion went viral. Its core function is simply to be repeated, a shared inside joke with no punchline. Now, players will hear the gruff, seasoned Soldier: 76 uttering this same nonsensical phrase in matches, a jarring inclusion that feels like a transparent attempt at memetic relevance.
For dedicated players, especially those who main Soldier: 76, this addition is particularly disappointing. The character, often affectionately viewed as a grumpy veteran, now feels like a vessel for corporate trend-chasing. While not a crossover skin from another franchise, this emote is one of the most blatant nods to a specific, fleeting internet fad the game has ever made. If the emote includes an audible voice line as the promotional video implies, it will become an unavoidable part of the in-game experience, inevitably spammed by players in spawn rooms and during matches.
This criticism comes at a time when Overwatch 2’s core gameplay is arguably in its best state since the rocky 2022 launch. Recent additions like the build-centric Stadium mode, the dynamic Perks system for on-the-fly customization, and compelling new heroes such as Vendetta and Wuyang have genuinely reinvigorated the shooter. These substantive updates make the pivot toward shallow meme integration even more frustrating, as it feels like the development team is prioritizing quick cultural grabs over deepening the game’s own rich lore and atmosphere.
The overarching strategy of diluting the game’s unique world with endless collaborations and now, direct meme implementation, remains a point of contention for long-time fans. It represents a fundamental shift in creative direction, trading a distinct personality for a homogenized live-service model. In response to this new emote, some players may find themselves queuing for Damage roles specifically to lock in Soldier: 76, if only to prevent teammates from subjecting them to the repetitive audio spam. This latest update underscores a growing divide between a game with solid mechanical foundations and its increasingly fragmented aesthetic vision.
(Source: Kotaku)
