Is Tracer from Overwatch LGBT? Who is her girlfriend?

Overwatch has always been a queer-friendly game. It features colorful heroes from a wide range of presentations, including folks with possible queer-coding (like Zarya). But today, the very first Overwatch hero officially came out. Merry Christmas, Overwatch fans! Tracer is Queer!

Is Tracer from Overwatch LGBT?

Overwatch’s latest comic, “Reflections,” went live today on the game’s website. Focused on speedy, pixie-like hero Tracer, it tells a warm holiday story featuring several of the Overwatch cast. But more exciting than just an expansion of the Overwatch universe’s lore is a reveal that fans have waited a long, long time for.

Tracer, as shown in the page below, is seen kissing another girl whom she appears to be living with. Emily is not one of Tracer’s fellow members of the Overwatch team, but it seems as though the two are dating; they later attend Overwatch hero Winston’s holiday dinner together.

Blizzard Entertainment has teased that there are multiple queer characters in Overwatch’s cast, and the holiday kiss she shares with Emily makes Tracer the first of those heroes to be confirmed. During this November’s BlizzCon event, members of the production team confirmed that fans would hear more about the game’s diverse cast sooner than later.

Tracer is among the most visible of Overwatch’s characters. She’s featured on the game’s cover and has long been one of the most popular heroes, dating to even before its launch in May. The Overwatch fan community has regularly paired Tracer with another female character in original works: Widowmaker, who is her sworn enemy according to the in-game story.

Overwatch | How to Think (And PLAY) Like A BIG BRAIN Tracer – An UPDATED In-Depth Tracer Guide

Who is Tracer’s girlfriend in Overwatch?

Blizzard has confirmed in the latest Overwatch comic that Tracer is the game’s first LGBTQ character.

The Overwatch comic, Reflections, opens with Tracer lamenting about how previous years’ holidays have been lonely for her, but this year “is going to be different.”

Tracer receives a present from a stranger who she helped after failing to buy one herself, and then comes home to a woman named Emily, who she appears to be dating. Emily opens the present — it turns out Tracer was trying to get a gift for her — and then kisses Tracer in thanks in the scene.

This reveal comes after Overwatch artistic director Bill Petras confirmed at BlizzCon 2015 that Overwatch would feature gay characters, though no specific character was mentioned at the time. Blizzard’s Chris Metzen added that there would be multiple LGBTQ characters in the game, so future reveals are likely still forthcoming.

The comic ends with Tracer and Emily surprising a lonely Winston at the door after he lamented spending the holidays alone, with Tracer reflecting about how happy she is to be spending the holidays with her Overwatch family.

Tracer is one of the most popular faces of Overwatch, frequently headlining the game’s marketing. Overwatch fans have depicted Tracer as LGBTQ in fanfics and on Tumblr, with many shipping seeming nemeses Tracer and Widowmaker. IGN’s Lucy O’Brien wrote extensively about how fandom has helped grow the culture of Overwatch.

Overwatch has had a huge 2016, and was one of IGN’s Best Reviewed Games of the year. Here’s a roundup of everything you need to know about the currently underway Winter Wonderland event, which ends on January 2nd.

How to Play Tracer in Overwatch

You’ve watched other players use Tracer in jaw-dropping wonder as they Blink around the field eliminating characters. Those pro players didn’t get there overnight. They understand how to use Tracer’s strengths and weaknesses to their advantage, and with the tips below, you will too.
overwatch play tracer

1. Blink Strategically
Blinking is one of those skills that looks cool while annoying enemies at the same time. But it takes practice to use Blink properly. The last thing you want to do is Blink indiscriminately or you may end up Blinking into enemy fire or inanimate objects on the map.

2. Flank, Don’t Chase
Tracer is like Rogue-class characters in other games because their strength is in the element of surprise. Keeping with that theme, you want to end up behind your enemies and close the distance if needed.

3. Get Up and Personal
Have you ever used your Tracer Main’s Pulse Pistols and wondered where all the damage went? Unfortunately, it’s not a problem with Pulse Pistols, but how you’re utilizing them.

4. Live Life on the Edge, Don’t Hesitate
Life happens very quickly as a Tracer, so you need to prepare for split-second decisions. If you sit in one place and equivocate on your decisions, it’s guaranteed that you’ll die – quickly.

5. Say “No” to Hoarding (Pulse Bombs)
Odds are if you’re a new Tracer Main player, you’re hoarding your Pulse Bombs for the “perfect moment.” The hard truth is that you’re probably going to die before that perfect moment arrives. Even worse is the fact that you’ll probably miss your target when you throw a Pulse Bomb; most new Tracers do.

General strategies About Playing tracer in overwatch

When playing Tracer, do your best to avoid fighting your opponents head-on. Tracer can only deal good damage when close to her enemies, as opposed to other Assault heroes like Soldier: 76, and she lacks durability.
Take advantage of Tracer’s speed to travel rapidly through side routes so that you can get behind your opponents before attacking.
Your top priorities should be support heroes; Tracer’s high mobility and powerful gunfire make her a very strong counter to most supports and defense heroes that have low mobility. If you manage to fight the dps-heroes, you have to Blink to their blind spot to fight or flank them from behind when they are unaware that you are coming.
Try to find single targets that are separated from their team and take them out. Be wary of diving into large groups to try and kill a target, unless you have Pulse Bomb ready, as a full enemy team can quickly turn and kill you before you can Recall or Blink to safety.
If you’re starting to lose a fight and are low on Health, don’t be afraid to retreat, as Tracer’s speed can let her get to Health Packs well before her opponents can. This gives her an advantage in dueling single targets, as she can simply outlast them through good use of Recall and retreating to grab Health Packs before returning to battle.
Tracer in Overwatch is considered most effective in King of the Hill maps. Her horizontal mobility is unparalleled, making her ideal to flank enemy lines and to patrol flanks. Her lack of vertical mobility can be problematic on Payload or Control Point maps, where other heroes can give Tracer a difficult time to traverse the map safely.

What is Tracer’s real name?

Lena Oxton (call sign: “Tracer”) was the youngest person ever inducted into Overwatch’s experimental flight program. Known for her fearless piloting skills, she was handpicked to test the prototype of a teleporting fighter, the Slipstream.

Is Tracer good in Overwatch?

Tracer. When Tracer is strong in the meta, Overwatch is usually in a good spot. As you can see, right now, Overwatch is in a good spot. Tracer’s cooldowns are up so frequently that in an ability-heavy economy, she gets great value out of being a nuisance.

Does Tracer have a boyfriend?

Blizzard revealed that Overwatch’s coverstar Tracer is in a same-sex relationship with a woman named Emily back in December.

Who is LGBT in Overwatch?

Tracer, the game’s cover star, is a lesbian whose partner has featured in the universe a number of times, while hardened marine Soldier 76 is also homosexual. This diversity is welcome, and a step above many other games out there, but much of the queer discussion surrounding Overwatch is pushed to the sidelines.