Overwatch continues competitive bans for overplaying a single hero as "Disruptive Gameplay"

[Luminish]

Last weekend there was an uproar over a 24 hour ban of a top 500 streamer seemingly only because he was playing too much Torbjorn. Blizzard's community manager released a statement that basically said they were still undecided on if that sort of play deserves a ban.

Today, another popular top 500 streamer was banned for 24 hours for "Disruptive Gameplay", basically meaning he was playing too much Symmetra.

https://twitter.com/UhOh_Stevo/status/931567861629440002/



It seems like they are serious about cracking down on these types of players. It's only 24 hours now as a warning, but further bans will increase the ban time up to a permanent competitive mode ban.

Edit: To be clear, this has nothing to do with the random torb player that was banned for AFKing and then went to reddit to lie and whine about it.

Edit 2: It's worth pointing out that Stevo is not as much of an angel as Feuy500 who was banned last week. He's been banned for a bronze to GM stream, and can be a little trollish in his responses to people that get upset by his hero choice. However, the reason given and timing of it makes it sound like it's for hero choice.

His last stream when he gets banned is here, I haven't seen anything toxic but I'll keep looking: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/202060775

If nothing else, I hope blizzard can just clear things up and make a definitive statement about it one way or the other.

 

[antitrop]

When Blizzard's CM tells you not to share private DMs, you probably shouldn't share private DMs.

 

[Transistor]

If they want to stop that, the just make the whole character selection random

But then you would have people whine and rage quit when they don't get the character they want

 

[Oliver James]

Why is this bad? Playing only as a single character, that is?

 

[signal]

Does this dude still shit on everyone else on his team when they lose? I know he gets a lot of hate for literally playing no one but Symmetra but his counter-salt on stream when losing was funny to watch.

 

[Kewlmyc]

I mean, if you'e putting in the work and getting shit done as only one character, you shouldn't get banned for it.

 

[Crossing Eden]

That's incredibly stupid and completely antithetical to the gameplay model AND the monetization model of investing for the sake of the hero you're attached to.

 

[Atom Heart Mother]

Next you're gonna get banned for playing the game. Banned for playing one hero? Overwatch is such a fucking joke.

 

[fireflame]

This is why i avoid that kind of games where company wants to dictate how you play. They payed for the game sthey should be allowed to play the way they want as long as they dont use cheats and are not offending.

 

[Lynd]

Why does it matter if you only use one character? This is stupid.

 

[Ebullientprism]

If they want to stop that, the just make the whole character selection random

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They are trying to shove competitive "pro" Overwatch down people's throats. No way that is happening.

 

[CaptainBojangles]

Still bullshit when the person is winning their games, and is clearly not as big a detriment to their team as Blizzard thinks.

 

[Butch]

Maybe he was being a dick about it in the chat?

 

[Digital]

The biggest joke just gets funnier by the minute.

 

[Cenauru]

The Torbjorn player was throwing when he couldn't play Torb. Hard to believe these ban complaints when every time it's always something they fail to mention that got them banned.

 

[Brat-Sampson]

...Why shouldn't you be able to play as whoever you want? I haven't really played OW, but I don't remember, say, TF2 having this problem.

 

[Calibro]

If you are playing competitive and not trying to counter-pick, you're not playing competitively and should just play in quick play. No one will ban you for picking one hero there so have fun. Competitive is competitive, you don't fuck around and let your team down.

 

[Jarsonot]

Can't they just lock out the character after too many successive games with him/her?

Seems odd. Go ahead and pick her again, your choice, do whatever you want... but we'll ban you for it.

If they don't want you doing that, why is it possible to do that??

 

[Ever]

This is dumb. Let people play what they want to play, as long as they're making an honest effort to win the game.

 

[Qwark]

I thought the Torbjorn thing was not true, and that he got banned for actually griefing instead?

 

[Valkyr1983]

Blizzard sucks

Glad I got tired of overwatch months ago

Never played as anyone but Tracer or Soldier 76, never had the desire to

 

[Every Time I Die]

As someone who has been stuck playing with this particular player, that winrate is deceptive and his play is definitely disruptive.

Super glad this is finally in place, so tired of having to play around people committed to a gimmick in the competitive ladder or be stuck in an effectively unwinnable game from the outset.

 

[RROCKMAN]

Ohhhhhhh so they are going through with this huh?

 

[fireflame]

Between this and lootboxes I see every day more the advantages of single player games..

 

[Mass Effect]

Competitive Overwatch was a mistake.

I didn't even know maining a character in comp was a bannable offense.

 

[Syril]

The Torbjorn player was throwing when he couldn't play Torb. Hard to believe these ban complaints when every time it's always something they fail to mention that got them banned.

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That's a completely different thing than playing one character too much though.

 

[CaptainBojangles]

If you are playing competitive and not trying to counter-pick, you're not playing competitively and should just play in quick play. No one will ban you for picking one hero there so have fun.

Click to shrink...

This person is winning 63% of their comp games. I think it's safe to say they're playing the game competatively.

 

[Luminish]

The Torbjorn player was throwing when he couldn't play Torb. Hard to believe these ban complaints when every time it's always something they fail to mention that got them banned.

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That was a different incident by a guy who was not a streamer. This Torb was Fuey500, a streamer who's never toxic, unless you consider his hero selection toxic. And now it's Stevo as a symetra main, who has been banned for smurffing before, and can be trollish at times, but the reason given and timing of it makes it clear it's about hero selection.

 

[JusDoIt]

As basically a day 1 Mercy main, I'm definitely avoiding competitive now.

 

[5taquitos]

Imagine getting banned for only playing Scout in TF2.

Wtf even is this?

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

LOL i've never heard of anything like this. Thats messed up.

 

[EvilBoris]

I'm guessing they are paying too much attention to user reports?

I've not played lots of overwatch but I have observed that everyone blames everyone all the time.
Whether or not your team is winning

 

[Carthago Delenda Est]

Why does it matter if you only use one character? This is stupid.

Click to shrink...

Because this is ranked and you are ruining the game for others by being a piece of trash who refuses to switch off of a badly designed character when you are losing. It's a team game that's designed around swapping to different heroes.

 

[nasirum]

This is so stupid. Either make random selection mandatory or don't ban people for maining a character.

 

[Deft Beck]

This makes absolutely no sense. It's like Nintendo banning people for "ganging up" on one player in Smash online play.

 

[Stewarto]

He wasn't breaking any rules and he paid for the game, ridiculous imo.

 

[opticalmace]

I don't think this is fair to the players. Glad I didn't buy overwatch.

 

[Calibro]

This person is winning 63% of their comp games. I think it's safe to say they're playing the game competatively.

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The percentage doesn't matter, there were still some games which they lost because of not picking something else. You win 63% with one hero, awesome, but in competitive you must try and win other 37% not just bash your head against the wall mindlessly.

All the people in this thread saying it's unfair don't understand the difference between ranked and all other (numerous) modes in OW. People tryhard competitive (meaning play good comps and counterpick) and have fun elsewhere (meaning play whatever you want).

 

[Saint-14]

pathetic action Blizzard, I really hope there will be a big outrage over this like the EA situation but I doubt that will happen.

Edit: and there you go, people are defending them, it seems like the fanbase is even as bad.

 

[Jonbjohns]

I'm confused why this is a problem.

 

[Deleted member 198]

Why does it matter if you only use one character? This is stupid.

Click to shrink...

Because someone refusing to switch off of Torb forces your entire team to accommodate solely for you and ruin the viability of the team comp. If they want to play Torb all day just play quick play.

 

[KillstealWolf]

There's a half arguement here in that Overwatch is a game built around team compositions and counters, if for example the opponents Pharah is tearing through your team, maybe your Reaper isn't the wisest of decisions and a Soldier 76 would work better.

But then again this is still on the stupid end of things, some people may favour to one hero more than any of the others and can't play the others well. Let people play how they want to play.

 

[Ebullientprism]

The Torbjorn player was throwing when he couldn't play Torb. Hard to believe these ban complaints when every time it's always something they fail to mention that got them banned.

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Uhhh yeah this should probably be in the OP. LOL.

 

[Bananastand]

Uhhh yeah this should probably be in the OP. LOL.

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Yup, this is always the outcome of these stories and people still fall for them.

 

[Fitts]

Glad I stopped playing this game.

 

[Chuchubabe]

In league of legends its called troll picks, you go to a match and if you dont play the role you get and pick a champion that is completely terrible at support for examle you can report it. You are affecting other people games and chances to win.

I dont know about overwatch cause i never played it.

 

[Grimminski]

I'm confused why this is a problem.

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Because it's horseshit. I only play Jenos in Paladins comp and I guarantee I;ll never catch a ban or shit for it.

 

[Luminish]

Uhhh yeah this should probably be in the OP. LOL.

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Yup, this is always the outcome of these stories and people still fall for them.

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Ok, I updated to be clear that this has nothing to do at all with that incident.

 

[5taquitos]

Maybe Blizzard should fix the character selection process instead of just banning people for sticking with one character.

Hell, just put a vote option in. 4 votes from team members and you're forced to pick a new character.

 

[Akela]

"After analysis of the evidence, we have Suspended your Overwatch account."

Wait. Does that mean that they banned him from the game entirely, instead of just the competitive mode? If so that's absolutely ridiculous.

Blizzard can come up with silly rules for competitive play all they want but none of that should apply outside of that. If you have to ban people from the entire game because of their style of play (excluding hacking or taking advantage of exploits/glitches) then there's something fundamentally wrong with the game itself.