Overwatch Cracking Down on In-Game Toxic Behavior

Overwatch is a great multiplayer game. Unlike a lot of others which shall not be mentioned ( *cough*CS:GO*cough* ) the fan base of the game is generally pretty good. It does, however, have its elements which are either bad losers or generally toxic players. If you’re playing in a round with people like these, particularly in what is a heavily team focused game, this can be highly frustrating. If you are one of those frustrated gamers, good news is on the way. Blizzard has promised to begin implementing severely harsh penalties against those want to disrupt your gaming experience.

In Overwatch: HEROES NEVER DIE!!!

In a statement on their website, Blizzard has said: “Play nice; play fair” is one of Blizzard’s core values. It’s something we took to heart in creating Overwatch and remains a priority as we continue to support the game and our players. This not only applies to the new content we develop and the balance changes we make but also to the features we add or improve upon over time. We believe that our in-game reporting and player penalty system is one of our most important features, and it’s something we want to invest in significantly over the next year. To this end, effective immediately, we will be issuing increased penalties to players in response to verified reports of bad behavior.”

What type of behavior does this include?

Blizzard has confirmed that you should report any of the following instances:

• Abusive in chat.
• Harassment.
• Spamming.
• Being AFK or general inactivity (deliberate or otherwise).
• Griefing.

Any person found being consistently reported for the above will be either suspended or banned. Harsh, but fair. Something hopefully the Dead by Daylight developers will consider. Maybe Rocket League too. I have never really understood the lone wolf mentality in team gaming. That is, however, a moan for another day.

Blizzard is, therefore, showing not so much Doomfist as Ironfist with this approach.

As I said in the beginning, Overwatch, generally, has a pretty good community. I do play the game and more often than not people do pick characters to work as a team to achieve a win. I also do entirely appreciate the frustration of someone who disrupts the team experience. Therefore, if Blizzard backs this up with action, I’ll be delighted.

Just remember: Heroes Never Die!!!