The design of heroes, both visually and gameplay-wise, always sparked heated debates in the Overwatch community. In fact, dozens of YouTubers “rose to fame” recording videos where they shared their thoughts and opinions regarding in-game skins. Some of these videos are so in-depth that they analyze everything from how the particular skin fits the hero’s backstory to the color palette.

Naturally, when the latest hero, Sigma, entered the Overwatch scene, people immediately started talking. That isn’t a new phenomenon in the gaming world, and in the context of a Blizzard game with millions of players worldwide, it’s to be expected.

Additionally, whenever Blizzard announces a new hero, there’s always a huge hype. Fans are always eager to see the design, learn everything about the hero’s abilities, and debate how they’re going to impact the current meta.

Another thing fans are particularly interested in is the hero’s backstory. It’s always tempting to try and figure out where the new hero’s place is in the well-known Overwatch universe. Blizzard is consistent when it comes to hero reveals. They took the same approach with Sigma, as with most other heroes.

What we’re referring to is the official backstory trailer. It gives us an idea of who the hero is and what their motives for getting involved in the fight are. That prompts creative players to create fan-fiction or try to paint the whole picture, relying on the subtle hints Blizzard often gives away.

With Sigma, however, the fandom’s reaction was… unique, to say the least.

The 'Controversy' of Sigma's Feet
One of the main things that everyone kept pointing out as a “design flaw” or an inconsistency was the fact that Sigma’s feet are bare in the official origin story trailer. In our opinion, this is a bit too harsh. Yet the trailer implies that Sigma is a fully-armored omnic & human hybrid that strolls through the battlefield barefoot.

Ridiculous as that may sound, it isn’t entirely unjustified. If you’ve watched the trailer, you’re aware that it depicts Sigma as a scientist obsessed with gravity; more specifically — harnessing the power of a black hole. The video further shows him having a complete psychological meltdown after a failed experiment of sorts. Moreover, we can clearly see that Sigma was, and to a certain extent, still is fighting his inner demons.

In that context, it’s not unreasonable to use lack of shoes as a hint at Sigma’s mental state. However, this interpretation only added fuel to the fire, with many fans suggesting Blizzard’s developer team had a prejudiced outlook on mental illness.

Stereotypes or a Fitting Depiction?
The depiction of the “mad scientist” is stereotypical; there’s no doubt about it. However, we have to admit that it does fit the narrative. Many fans seem to agree and are “defending” the company. They share the sentiment that even suggesting that Blizzard believes everyone suffering from a mental illness is evil is just plain ridiculous.

Blizzard has always been an inclusive and open-minded company. They’ve confirmed this time and again through their actions. The Tracer New Year comic is just one of many examples. To say that Blizzard made Sigma a villain solely as a result of his mental issues would be taking things out of context.

Another thing to consider is that including shoes in Sigma’s get-up could potentially do more harm than good. That may well satisfy one part of the community, but it would most likely enrage the other.

As you can imagine, this isn’t the first time the company’s been caught in the crossfire. With a fanbase as large as Blizzard’s, it would be easier to beat the slots in a casino and hit the jackpot than to please everybody.

The Bare Feet Are Here to Stay
A lot can be said about Blizzard, and most critics aren’t without merit. Just think back to the Diablo Immortal fiasco and the backlash they’ve received from the fans... Still, there’s no denying that they know how to make quality, entertaining games. Moreover, one thing that’s certainly commendable regarding Blizzard’s approach to game development is consistency.

So we weren’t the least bit surprised to hear their response to the matter of Sigma’s bare feet. Addressing the plethora of comments over at ArtStation, Qui Fang, the artist behind Sigma’s character design, confirmed that they’ve “decided to keep the bare feet.”

As the main reason for this decision, she states that this detail really helps sell the entire ‘asylum’ look Blizzard was going for. The goal was to draw attention to Sigma’s mental health since asylum patients typically don’t wear shoes due to the harm they might cause to themselves and others with the laces.

They’ve undoubtedly succeeded in drawing attention to this design element. Still, we can’t help but wonder if this was the response Blizzard was hoping for. As for now, what we do know is that they won’t be making changes to the default skin. The company seems content with their decision to keep Sigma barefoot.

However, Fang added that she’s sure the hero will get a few skins with shoes on in the future. A good compromise, if you ask us. Still, we doubt that would stop the debates regarding Sigma’s choice of footwear, or rather, lack thereof. But we do believe they will die down as people start playing the hero more and shift their attention to his abilities, rather than his looks.