Overwatch’s Mech Designers Seem to Have It Out for D.Mon!

The creators of Overwatch have introduced the latest tank hero, D.Mon, who leads the MEKA team of human-piloted robots. She’s already stirring up excitement among fans of giant robots and those with a keen interest in safety. D.Mon, much like her teammate D.Va, pilots a mech equipped for defense. However, unlike D.Va, who is mostly enclosed within her mech’s cockpit, D.Mon is more exposed.

Her face is shielded by a glass HUD, and she can deploy a shield similar to Reinhardt’s. Yet, when that shield isn’t active, her chest and legs are left vulnerable, which raises eyebrows given her role in absorbing damage, as many on social media have pointed out.

The developers haven’t disclosed the reasoning behind D.Mon’s design, but there are a few possibilities. Overwatch has always excelled at helping players quickly distinguish between heroes, which is crucial during intense battles where split-second decisions are vital. While D.Mon and D.Va share some design elements, their differing body shapes likely make it easy to identify them at a glance. Unlike D.Va, who can exit her mech and requires separate assets for that, D.Mon appears to remain inside, simplifying the design process for cosmetics.

This leads us to the core of the discussion.

Overwatch has seen a plethora of characters that fit a similar mold, often conventionally attractive. While there may be valid technical and narrative reasons for D.Mon’s exposed design, it undeniably feels like a move aimed at creating appealing skins. As a mech pilot, having exposed areas seems counterintuitive, especially in combat scenarios. If the design aimed to portray the pilot as disposable, it could work, but that doesn’t align with the beloved MEKA squad’s image. There’s nothing inherently wrong with designing characters with potential cosmetics in mind, but it can be disappointing when it feels like that was the primary focus from the start.