From the first moment the iconic horns of “Tank” screamed from the jukebox on Route 66, Overwatch 2 fans couldn’t contain their excitement for the tease of a Cowboy Bebop crossover.
No words or official announcement about the collaboration have been shared yet, but the presence of the song in the season nine trailer alongside the blatant Western film stylings of the teaser itself can only mean a collaboration between Overwatch 2 and the beloved anime is on its way. Given the far-reaching fandom of Cowboy Bebop, it’s clear this potential collab will likely be one of Overwatch 2’s most popular yet, possibly clearing the likes of the One Punch Man and Diablo skins that have come to the game in the past. And the best part? There are already very clear and strong choices for collab skins among the game’s cast of characters.
The most obvious one is the skin most likely teased in the trailer: Cassidy as Spike Spiegel. While it’s not for sure Overwatch’s resident cowboy will become a space cowboy, it certainly seems like it with the sound of footsteps accented by spurs in the trailer and the appearance of two legs dressed in what conspicuously looks like suit pants.
There’s also the fact the trailer takes place on Route 66, a natural home for Cassidy and the Western/Space Western mash-up this collaboration would be. And then, of course, Overwatch fans have also noted a few more similarities between the two characters making the match seem like a natural one—even if they aren’t quite canon.
Fans also jumped to guess at further characters, and there are plenty that just make sense given similarities in physical characteristics and personalities. Radical Edward’s tiny frame and frenetic energy seem like an ideal match for Tracer but could also be a character skin Blizzard decides to try out with Kiriko. Jet Black has a fair few options in the cast as a good match, with Doomfist as a likely option thanks to their similar cybernetic arms, while Reinhardt could also be a match if the devs wanted to lean more into Jet’s hair and facial scar.
Then there’s Faye Valentine. More than a few fans noted how Ashe could get a skin for the sultry con artist if Cassidy is indeed Spike Spiegel, but Faye’s memory loss in the show and her trademark purple hair feel like a better fit for Widowmaker.
There are a few more characters who could possibly make it to the game. No Cowboy Bebop collab would be complete without Ein, the genetically modified corgi. Maybe Brigitte will get a turn holding a corgi instead of her cat, or Wrecking Ball could possibly get a new furry pilot at the controls. Vicious also seems like a great character to put into Overwatch 2, given there’s already one character in the game that wields a katana.
Whatever skins come out of the potential collaboration, one thing is clear—our wallets might not like us for what we’re about to do to them. Overwatch 2 season nine launches on Feb. 13.
