Overwatch 2 fans love this animator's retro 3D D.Va

Video games can be a great source of animation for 3D animators, as one artist is demonstrating with popular pieces inspired by Overwatch 2. The 3D animator Nonamesleft has created a wide range of animations inspired by the game, including this retro delight designed to look like old VHS footage (see our pick of the best 3D modelling software to upgrade your own tools).

Nonamesleft is a 3D animator who often shares work on social media. The short animation Cardboard D.Va on VHS shows the pro esports gamer from Blizzard Games' 2023 first-person shooter walking through a city at night. The grainy look and date stamp give the impression of old video footage, but the piece also gives a curious sense that we're between two very different periods of time.

The date shows 2081, closer to the timeframe of Overwatch. But the music sounds like it's straight from the 1980s, creating an intriguing juxtaposition of the retro and futuristic.

For more inspiration, see how one viral animattion broke the fourth wall in Blender. Also see our pick of the best laptops for animation.