In a time when those in power are desperately trying to erase whole groups of people from the annals of history, science, sport, and human rights, a new piece from Rolling Stone about how the developers of Overwatch 2 embrace inclusion and diversity within the shooter’s roster is arguably needed oxygen.

The article primarily zeroes in on how devs create heroes with disabilities without falling into typical narrative pitfalls, particularly in the case of Hazard, who was added in Season 14. While the shooter obviously lives in a sci-fi world of advanced prosthetics and “optimistic futurism,” the background of Hazard, who was effectively neglected by his government after suffering wounds that forced amputations, and the design direction around his robotic prosthetics, was guided by experiences and input from consultant Angel Guffria, herself a congenital amputee.

“We’re talking about characters who have disabilities, and they exist throughout their day. In a world of the mundane, it’s just part of it, not the whole experience,” Guffria says. “Having consultants and core members of the team that are familiar with disability experience helps to make sure that this is still a hero, still a character, the disability is just part of their lives.”

The piece also talks about how guidance and considerations in design helped in the creation of the character Sojourn, ensured that Hazard’s voice actor was actually Glaswegian himself, and how OW2’s devs seamlessly weave diversity and inclusion into its entire roster while still ensuring characters are fun to play first and foremost. Like we said, vitally heartwarming stuff in this day and age.