In Letter to Fan, Jeffrey Kaplan Confirms Overwatch's Symmetra Is on the Autism Spectrum

In a letter to a fan, Overwatch game director Jeffrey Kaplan confirmed that Symmetra, a character in the popular first-person shooter video game, is on the autism spectrum.

“I’m glad you asked about Symmetra. It was very astute of you to notice that she mentioned the spectrum in our comic,” Kaplan wrote. “Symmetra is autistic. She is one of our most beloved heroes, and we think she does a great job of representing just how awesome someone with autism can be.”

Overwatch is known for its ethnic and gender diverse ensemble of characters, and Symmetra is no exception as a woman on the autism spectrum born in Hyderabad, India. Symmetra being on the spectrum was hinted at last year in a comic released about the character – Symmetra: A Better World.

In the comic book, Symmetra says:

Sanjay has always said I was… different. Everyone has, asking where I fit on the spectrum. It used to bother me because I knew it was true. It doesn’t bother me anymore. Because I can do things nobody else can do.

Overwatch is one of the first prominent video games to have a main character on the autism spectrum. Others video games highlighting autism include autistic characters as minor players or have been critiqued for their stereotypical portrayal of people on the spectrum.

Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment