Following community backlash over the discrepancy between the initial reveal and the in-game model, Blizzard has unveiled the redesigned look for the Overwatch hero Anlan, as promised ahead of the game's second season of 2026.

On the 7th, Blizzard officially unveiled the redesign of the new hero 'An-ran' via the 'Overwatch' channel. This comes about two months after the company announced a redesign in response to community backlash last February. In the video, Game Director Aaron Keller personally explained the specific changes, accompanied by visual aids.

Keller stated that the team aims to ensure each hero possesses a distinct personality that is reflected in their appearance. He reiterated that the initial in-game model failed to capture this, which prompted the redesign. He described Anlan as a confident, decisive, and strong natural leader, and noted that the new design was crafted to embody those traits.

The development team focused on the eyes, eyebrows, and mouth to create a more mature expression. They also noted that they adjusted her features to bear a stronger resemblance to her brother, Wuyang. The images released alongside the video detailed further refinements, including a more confident pose, more defined cheeks and jawline, and the addition of darker shading and freckles to give the character a more three-dimensional appearance.

As part of the Overwatch rebranding, Blizzard designated 2026 as the starting point for a new annual narrative structure, launching five heroes alongside Season 1. However, Anlan faced criticism for the differences between her appearance in previously released comics and animations and her actual in-game model. Some critics argued that instead of a unique look, she appeared too similar to existing Asian characters like Juno, Kiriko, and D.Va. It was also reported that Pariha, the English voice actor for Anlan, joined the campaign for a redesign and personally relayed these concerns to the development team.

In February, rather than pushing back, Blizzard acknowledged the feedback and promised to change the character's appearance. Keller added that five more heroes are scheduled to be released this year, stating that the team wants every hero to feel authentic to their character and encouraged players to continue sharing their feedback.