Stunning Skyrim mod lets you play as Overwatch characters

While Overwatch players eagerly anticipate news about Overwatch 2, some have turned to other games to imagine what Blizzard Entertainment’s tactical shooter could look like on a different engine. A Skyrim mod might be the best re-imagination of the title yet.

Released in 2011, Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the gaming universe’s most iconic experiences. From waking up on a rickety wagon just moments before a dragon attack to seeing the game get modified to include Fall Guys characters, Skyrim has proven to be a fantastic source of seemingly timeless entertainment content.

Using Bethesda’s Creation Engine, itself based on their Gamebryo Engine, Skyrim mods have given the title a shelf life that’s approaching a decade of impressive, hilarious, and surprising content. Now, modders have gone ahead and given Overwatch the Elder Scrolls treatment.

While Blizzard’s title is best known for its cartoony, vibrant style, many have wondered what the graphical upgrades could do for its realism in OW2. Now, the game’s fans can see what heroes like Genji, McCree, Reinhardt, and Reaper could look like in a grittier, more realistic environment.

Twitter, @BadPachimari

Hopefully this isn’t the plot of Overwatch 2.

Although ‘Bad Pachimari’ jokingly titled the video as “Overwatch 2 footage leaked on 4chan,“ one can’t even be mad at the bait. The video opens with a familiar red shawl, brown cowboy hat, and bionic arm as a surprisingly shadowy McCree eviscerates some sort of muscly zombie creature. 

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These foes are better known as draugr to Skyrim’s fans, but Overwatch’s players are probably more focused on seeing McCree in a dungeon, using a sword instead of a pistol. Even more surprising is the video’s usage of Reaper, who looks identical to his Overwatch model (spooky mask and all), but with a very different set of tools.

Instead of the heavy, dual-wielding shotguns, Reaper is seen using a bow and arrow to kill a grungy wolf and a sword to backstab Reinhardt. Although Rein is a little smaller than he should be, the characters all look fantastic and the change in art style is pretty fun.

It remains unclear which particular mod this is, but fans can most certainly take a look around to find a variety of equally ridiculous Skyrim transformations. 

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At the very least, it can be a nice way for Overwatch’s more impatient players to see their characters in a different environment while awaiting more OW2 news. Speculation suggests that announcements about the game won’t come until February 2021’s virtual BlizzCon.