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'{{Chinese name|[[Zhou (surname)|Zhou]]}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox VG character | name = Mei | image = Mei_Overwatch.png | caption = Mei and her personal weather modification drone "Snowball" | series = ''[[Overwatch (video game)|Overwatch]]'' | creator = | designer = | firstappearance = [[BlizzCon]] 2015 | firstgame =''[[Overwatch (video game)|Overwatch]]'' (2016) | voiceactor = [[:zh:張昱|Yu "Elise" Zhang]] <ref name="BTVA">{{cite web|url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Overwatch/Mei/|title=Voice of Mei|accessdate=2016-08-11|publisher=''Behind the Voice Actors''}}</ref><ref name="Zhang Yu">{{cite web|url=http://play.163.com/16/0523/14/BNOP2HLV00314UA9.html|title=爱玩网独家专访守望先锋声优：塑造小美值得骄傲|accessdate=2016-08-11|date=2016-05-23}}</ref> <small>(English & Chinese for Mainland China)</small> | liveactor = | motionactor = }} {{Infobox Chinese | title = Mei-Ling Zhou | s = 周美灵 | t = 周美靈 | p = Zhōu Měilíng | bpmf = ㄓㄡ ㄇㄟˇ ㄌㄧㄥˊ | w = Chou¹ Mei³-ling² | mi = {{IPAc-cmn|zh|ou|1|-|m|ei|3|.|l|ing|2}} | gr = | j = Zau¹ Mei⁵-ling⁴ | y = Jāu Méih Lìhng | hk = Chau Mei-ling | ci = {{IPA-yue|ʦɐu⁵⁵ mei¹³ lɪŋ²¹|}} | tl = | showflag = p }} '''Mei''' ({{zh|p=Měi|t=美|s=美}}), full name '''Mei-Ling Zhou''' ({{zh|p=Zhōu Měilíng|t=周美靈|s=周美灵}}), is a fictional hero appearing in the 2016 video game ''[[Overwatch (video game)|Overwatch]]'', a [[Blizzard Entertainment]]-developed team-based [[first-person shooter]] video game, and its related media. Her character is a Chinese climatologist and adventurer from [[Xi'an]], [[China]]. She is of Chinese origin and only goes by the first [[hanzi]] of her given name in the game, Mei. Mei is voiced by Chinese voice actress [[:zh:張昱|Yu "Elise" Zhang]] in the game's origin English version and Chinese version for Mainland China. ==Development and design== Mei was first announced in October 2015 at [[BlizzCon]]; along with [[D.Va]] and [[Characters of Overwatch#Genji|Genji]], she was one of the last heroes introduced into ''Overwatch'' prior to its official release.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dyer|first=Matt|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/11/06/blizzcon-2015-3-new-overwatch-heroes-announced|title=BlizzCon 2015: 3 New Overwatch Heroes Announced|work=IGN|date=November 6, 2015|accessdate=June 25, 2017}}</ref> At the beginning, Blizzard wanted to design a hero who used frost to battle. At that moment, the nationality of this hero was not decided yet, but the designers once thought to set the hero as a Canadian. Later, being impressed by the [[Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival|ice and snow sculptures]] of [[Harbin]] in [[China]], the design team finally decided to set the hero as a Chinese.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-gaming/article/1951451/latest-blizzard-first-person-shooter-video-game-fresh-take|title=Latest Blizzard first-person shooter video game a fresh take on diversity|work=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=''[[South China Morning Post]]''|date=May 24, 2016|accessdate=June 25, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Arnold Tsang">{{cite web|url=http://play.163.com/16/0430/13/BLTDCD7V00314UA9.html|title=守望先锋美术总监：新动画将到来 小美源于冰雕_守望先锋专区_守望电台_爱玩网|accessdate=August 11, 2016|date=April 30, 2016}}</ref> Additionally, her initial design was more oriented towards being a [[bounty hunter]] named "Frostbite", using her ice and frost powers to trap prey. However, as they developed her art style, the team found inspiration in an image of a "cute, nerdy scientist" which they loved, as it gave the idea that normal everyday people could be inspired to be a hero and be part of the Overwatch team.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schaefer|first=Emma|url= http://www.egmnow.com/articles/news/overwatchs-adorable-mei-used-to-be-a-badass-bounty-hunter/ | title = Overwatch's adorable Mei used to be a badass bounty hunter|date = April 25, 2017 | accessdate = June 24, 2017 | work = [[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] }}</ref> One element of Mei's character was inadvertently inspired during a recording session by Yu "Elise" Zhang for the game, where the voice actress had just flubbed one line and told Michael Chu, lead writer of the game, and the recording engineer "sorry, sorry, sorry" in Mei's voice. Chu believed this was a great line, and used along with other new lines to have Mei be apologetic, both sincerely and sarcastically, for her actions in-game.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/1/15506768/overwatch-mei-voice-line | title = Overwatch’s cutest voice line was a recording booth accident | first = Allegra | last = Frank | date = May 1, 2017 | accessdate = May 1, 2017 | work = [[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] }}</ref> ==Gameplay== Mei wields an Endothermic Blaster that can either freeze enemies in place with a short-range beam or shoot a long-range icicle projectile, and she can also use it to encase herself in a solid ice block to shield herself from damage and heal injuries, as well as erect walls of solid ice with many versatile uses, primarily for blocking the enemies. Her ultimate ability is Blizzard, which calls down her personal weather modification drone Snowball to freeze all enemies in a wide radius.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.usgamer.net/articles/22-05-2017-overwatch-how-to-play-mei | title = Overwatch - How to Play Mei | first = Mike | last = Williams |date = May 25, 2017 | accessdate = June 24, 2017 | work = [[US Gamer]] }}</ref> ==Appearances== ===''Overwatch''=== In Overwatch, Mei was employed by Overwatch to find the cause for the planet's changing climate, which had been variously blamed on the industry, the increasing [[Omnics (Overwatch)|omnic]] population, and increased consumption of natural resources. While deployed at the "Ecopoint" Overwatch base in [[Antarctica]], Mei and the other scientists there were trapped by a polar storm that damaged the facility. Lacking sufficient resources to wait for a rescue, they decided to enter cryostasis. Mei was the only survivor when she was found close to a decade later; by that time, Overwatch had disbanded, and all of the bases set up to monitor the climate crisis had stopped functioning. Mei elected to carry on the work alone, accompanied by Snowball.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/heroes/mei/|title=Mei - Overwatch|publisher=}}</ref> Mei's backstory was the centerpiece of the "Rise and Shine" [[Overwatch animated media|''Overwatch'' animated short]], released during Blizzard's presentation at the August 2017 [[Gamescom]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.usgamer.net/articles/overwatch-releases-meis-animated-short-get-the-tissues-ready | title = Overwatch Releases Mei's Animated Short, Get the Tissues Ready | first = Matt | last = Kim | date = August 23, 2017 | accessdate = August 23, 2017 | work = [[US Gamer]] }}</ref> ==Reception== As the first Chinese hero in Overwatch, Mei has been the concern of many players in China. Some players in China consider that Mei's background, combined with her pet phrase “Our world is worth fighting for”, shows us a positive image of a female who determines to protect this world.<ref name="Zhihu">{{cite web|url=https://www.zhihu.com/question/37257945|title=如何评价暴雪游戏《守望先锋》(Overwatch) 中来自中国的英雄「美」？ - 知乎|accessdate=2016-12-09}}</ref> Meanwhile, some other Chinese players question the design of Mei, because she wears a thick jacket and this makes her look not as slim as most of the other female heroes in Overwatch.<ref name="Jia Ling">{{cite web|url=http://www.yxdown.com/news/201512/248244.html|title=《守望先锋》小美引吐槽 我们想要的中国元素不是这样的！_资讯新闻_游迅网|accessdate=2016-08-11|date=2015-12-04}}</ref> Arnold Tsang, assistant art director of the game, clarified that Mei works in the polar regions and she has to wear thick clothes to keep warm.<ref name="Arnold Tsang" /> During ''Overwatch''{{'}}s 2016 holiday event, a new game mode centered on Mei was added, called "Mei's Snowball Offensive", with each player controlling Mei. Her ice shield and ice wall abilities were left unchanged, but her blaster was replaced with a single-shot snowball thrower that would be an instant kill if it hit an unshielded opponent. The blaster could be reloaded by finding a patch of snow that randomly appeared on the map. Mei's ultimate ability enabled her to fire the snowball blaster several times without reloading for a short period of time.<ref>{{cite web | URL = http://www.gamespot.com/articles/overwatch-christmas-update-is-now-live/1100-6446232/ | title = Overwatch Christmas Update Is Now Live | first = Chris | last = Pereira | date = December 13, 2016 | access-date = December 15, 2016 | work = [[GameSpot]] }}</ref> In addition to this, Blizzard created a new Legendary (highest rarity) skin for Mei that could be awarded during this event, which included a reskinning of her ice block into a snowman. Players criticized this new skin for being considered as Legendary, commenting that it was only a recolor of her base skin with a hat puff, and tool. Jeff Kaplan acknowledged the complaints, stating "We just sort of make a gut call based off of what we think is cool. Coolness is very subjective, and based off of the community reaction it seems like our gauge was off on this one."<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-talks-overwatch-legendaryepic-skins-after/1100-6446303/ | title = Blizzard Talks Overwatch Legendary/Epic Skins After Fans' Disappointment With Mei's Latest | first = Chris | last= Pereria | date = December 15, 2016 | access-date = December 15, 2016 | work = [[GameSpot]] }}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} {{Portal bar|Video games|Fictional characters}} {{Overwatch}} [[Category:Female characters in video games]] [[Category:Fictional Chinese people in video games]] [[Category:Fictional inventors in video games]] [[Category:Overwatch (video game) characters]] [[Category:Fictional scientists in video games]] [[Category:Video game characters in comics]] [[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2016]] [[Category:Video game characters with ice or cold abilities]]'