This is an accepted version of this page Tracer is a character who appears in Overwatch, a franchise centered around first-person hero shooter video games developed by Blizzard Entertainment.

Those abilities were caused by an accident that left her unable to maintain a physical form in the present until her friend and fellow Overwatch agent, Winston, invented the chronal accelerator, a device that allows her to control her own time frame.

Tracer has attracted media coverage related to online controversies surrounding one of her in-game victory poses, as well as her prominence in fan-produced pornography, which Blizzard has tried to remove.

[9] Concerning Tracer's gameplay style, Kotaku's Kirk Hamilton said "she's quick and squishy, designed more to harry the opposing team from behind than to survive a frontal assault".

[15][16] The post generated a discussion on the forums, which gaming outlets noted for its civility; several users added their own critical opinions of the pose while others disagreed with the original poster.

[17] Kaplan posted an apologetic response in which he announced Blizzard's plans to replace the pose because they did not want to "make someone feel uncomfortable, under-appreciated or misrepresented".

[20] Kaplan later said the game's development team was not "entirely happy with the original pose" and that internal creative struggles over its inclusion had occurred.

[13][21] According to Jessica Lachenal of The Mary Sue website, the replacement pose was inspired by a cheesecake pin-up illustration by Billy De Vorss.

[23] The developers of Overwatch later introduced seasonal events, including themed cosmetics such as skins and sprays for players to equip the character with.

[2] Outside the game, Blizzard's fictional biography for Tracer lists her real name as Lena Oxton, her age as 26, and her base of operations as London, England.

"[34] Tracer has been called a peppy character;[35] Hardcore Gamer's Kevin Dunsmore described her as a "spunky Brit [who is] [...] full of little quips as she zips around the battlefield".

[38] At BlizzCon 2015, Metzen was asked about the presence of gay heroes in the Overwatch universe; he confirmed there were such characters but elaborated, "we want it to play out organically, we don't want it to be a data point or feel contrived in any way.

[40] Blizzard noted the importance of variety in character background, which helps deepen and enrich the game's broader fictional universe.

[55] Tracer debuted as a playable character in the video game Heroes of the Storm in its April 2016 update, nearly a month prior to the release of Overwatch.

[56][57] PC Gamer's Chris Thursten called her inclusion in the game a marketing move but noted that Tracer felt different than other MOBA characters as a result of her origin in a first-person shooter.

He praised her inclusion as a legitimate addition to the roster, writing that she "introduces a bunch of new ideas to Heroes of the Storm that elevate her above traditional preorder bonus fluff".

[58][59] In April 2017, Blizzard launched Uprising, a seasonal event that included an eponymous player versus environment co-op game mode.

[61] In this story element set seven years before the events in the main game, Tracer—then known as Cadet Oxton—works alongside the other three characters in her first mission as a member of Overwatch.

[71] Tracer appears as a background character and avatar in Steven Spielberg's 2018 film Ready Player One, based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Cline.

[40] To avoid legal conflict with Russia's ban against gay propaganda, Blizzard blocked access to this comic from the Russian Federation.

[84] In October 2022, Blizzard and McDonald's entered a promotional partnership, which packaged Tracer's "Lightning" skin for a limited-time with certain combo meal orders.

[85] Tracer is often cited as the "poster girl" for the Overwatch franchise, with many publications referring to her as the original game's mascot or noting that she essentially fills that role.

[93][94] Kotaku's Nathan Grayson described her as "peppy and fun, but also courageous and badass", adding that, "In creating their own works involving Tracer, fans have turned those characteristics up to 11.

[93] In 2021, PC Gamer noted that Tracer's popularity amongst fans hadn't "waned in the slightest" through the expansion of the game's character roster.

[105] Kotaku's Cecilia D'Anastasio pointed to a previous statement from Blizzard that clarified the developers' intention to have an LGBT character revelation play out organically, commenting: "I feel that the comic did that.

"[105] Gita Jackson concurred with D'Anastasio, noting she "was definitely concerned that revealing a queer character would come off as a gimmick, and [was] very pleased at how they pulled this off.

[105] Andy Chalk of PC Gamer wrote: ...the comic itself is a fairly straightforward heartwarming tale of what really matters during the most hectic season of all.

Messages decrying Blizzard's "mistake" have cropped up all over the Overwatch forums and other social media, countered by others praising the studio for explicitly stating—in a low-key fashion—that the face of one of the biggest games of the year is gay.

"[87] Shortly before the game's five-year release anniversary, The Washington Post wrote that despite her Pulse Bomb not carrying "the same 'boom' it did in the old days," players still consistently picked Tracer for competitive matches.

[107] The publication cited Yaki, a professional Overwatch League player who attributed Tracer's in-game appeal to her consistency, as she has the ability to perform well on any map.