Overwatch Devs Toying with Banning Players Who Only Play One Hero

[Luminish]

The debate over one tricking flared up recently because of a reddit post claiming to be banned because of one tricking. As is usual with people complaining about bans, that was far from the whole truth, but the can of worms seemed to be already opened, with much of the community believing that one tricking is a bannable offence.

This lead to a flare up in reports against one tricks, creating an automated ban for a top 500 Torb one trick streamer, Fuey500. Fuey500 is very far from being toxic player unless you consider one tricking itself to be toxic, so the only reason for his ban could be his one tricking.

A blizzard community manager has responded about the situation here:

https://us.battle.net/forums/en/overwatch/topic/20759172361?page=5#post-93

I just wanted to chime in and make sure that everyone knows that we're currently digging into the reports, investigating this ban, and thinking about how this type of situation affects specialized players and their teammates.

We take both sides of the issue very seriously. We believe that players should be able to choose their favorite heroes, but playing as a team (which includes building an effective team composition) is a core part of the Overwatch experience. It's a delicate balance, and we're still working on getting it right (and probably always will be).

If you've been playing Blizzard games for a while, you've probably heard us use the phrase "Play nice; play fair." It's like a mantra around the Blizzard campus, and it's a big part of the way that we approach situations like this. People tend to focus on the "playing fair" part, but they forget about "playing nice." Sometimes that means switching off at your teammates' request, and sometimes that means working around your teammate's specialization.

Either way, Overwatch is more fun when everyone is playing nice.

Thank you for your patience as we investigate this situation, and thank you for your passion/enthusiasm about Overwatch.

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So it sounds like they don't know what to do at the moment. Should players like Fuey500 be banned for being inflexible with their hero selection?

 

[RockmanBN]

Should shave mentioned that this was Competetively related. No way this shit would go for Quickplay or Arcade.

 

[Nauro]

imagine banning someone from a fighting tournament for only using their main

 

[PurpleRainz]

That's not fair they paid they aren't trolling they shouldn't get banned not everyone is a team player it sucks but that's the risk you run pugging.

 

[Silky]

Goddamn this is a bad idea.

Who thinks of shit like this? I'm baffled. Truly, absolutely baffled.

 

[FearMyWrench]

imagine banning someone from a fighting tournament for only using their main

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Are those typically 6 person team games though?

I don't think that's really comparable.

 

[FRS1987]

Seems silly to me and draconian. Why should someone who paid for the game be punished for using a character they enjoy and are good at? That's like banning someone in an FPS for only using pistols.

 

[HououinKyouma]

This will end terribly. Do not do this.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

It shouldn't be bannable if that person is legitimately better with that character than others, or legitimately prefers that character.

Who is Blizzard to force people to play characters they dislike playing?

 

[Deleted member 11832]

While I hate Hanzo mains, I don't think this is a solution.

 

[erekiddo]

I only play as Junkrat so this is definitely weird news.

Competitive only though? No biggie.

 

[Rackham]

No, they're not. They've banned toxic players. In competitive if you're not working with your team, you are toxic. Being "one trick" and not listening to your team mates is a toxic attitude.

Playing competitive and using the excuse that you're not good at any other character is bullshit. I'm glad that they're banning these people

 

[Andokuky]

lol what the fuck?

 

[Xumbrega]

That's... not a good idea.

 

[spman2099]

What a weird controversy... I get that team dynamics are important, but I don't think any one person is obligated to switch their character at any given point, even if doing so would benefit the team. That seems like a giant overreach to me.

 

[BioDigital Jazzman]

It shouldn't be bannable if that person is legitimately better with that character than others, or legitimately prefers that character.

Who is Blizzard to force people to play characters they dislike playing?

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I think it's more or less for people who do this just to get to the top ranks

 

[$10 Bagel]

Let's ban people that use their ults and get kills with it too

 

[MidiPour]

Are those typically 6 person team games though?

I don't think that's really comparable.

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Came to say this. Team based games require you to be flexible, at least having 1 or 2 other characters you can fallback on even if you can't play your main. Being a liability because you hyperfocused on one hero can only be your fault. Not sure about banning though, but maybe suspensions from using that Hero would be a nice slap on the wrist and encouragement to play other Heroes.

 

[closer013]

One tricking shouldn't be ban worthy. I LOVE being proven wrong when I say to myself "Oh, great another Bastion" or "that persons pick isn't going to work, let's see if they pull their weight." Some one trickers are genuinely good and they should be allowed the freedom of their one choice being their only choice.

 

[Rackham]

Seems silly to me and draconian. Why should someone who paid for the game be punished for using a character they enjoy and are good at? That's like banning someone in an FPS for only using pistols.

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Why should 5 people who play with you in competitive be forced to play with you? Play quick play if you want to be a one trick and not actually be competitive.

 

[giancarlo123x]

That's stupid. What they should do is let the team team if they want someone off a character. It can be taken advantage of for trolling but I think more good can come from it.

 

[TheMisterManGuy]

I think Blizzard might be taking it a bit too far here. With a game like Overwatch, it's important to know how to play more than one hero if you want to be good, especially if your main is already taken. But this just seems like a bad solution to a problem that I don't really think exists. Fortunately it's competitive only, so more casual Overwatch players should be safe.

 

[RockmanBN]

I wonder how they'd go about disabled players. I've read on a Reddit thread about people treating the guy like shit by mass reporting him for playing Symmetra. He can only play with one hand and that was his only viable character.

 

[Professor Lexicovermis]

That's disgusting. They ought to be ashamed for even entertaining the thought. Imagine if you got banned from Street Fighter for using Ryu too many times...

Blech.

 

[Syf]

Absolutely can't agree with bans for what you pick. You're way wrong on this one Blizz.

 

[cowboyblobemoji]

What a weird controversy... I get that team dynamics are important, but I don't think any one person is obligated to switch their character at any given point, even if doing so would benefit the team. That seems like a giant overreach to me.

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especially when it's arguable they'd even do better if that person switched. I'd rather have someone on their main they've played for hundreds of hours and take my chances

 

[Border]

Why would you ban someone for just playing the character they want to play? Fuck that.

At the highest and most competitive ranks you should be flexible with your teammates.....but that's an issue to be dealt with amongst the team. It's not a principle that needs to be enforced by banning people from the game completely.

 

[JustInsane]

Lol that's ridiculous.

 

[StillEdge]

No, they're not. They've banned toxic players. In competitive if you're not working with your team, you are toxic. Being "one trick" and not listening to your team mates is a toxic attitude.

Playing competitive and using the excuse that you're not good at any other character is bullshit. I'm glad that they're banning these people

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Is not having a mic also considered toxic behavior.

 

[Edward]

This would be a complete disaster.

What about people who play with friends? Me and my friends pretty much main one person and we would get banned for playing that way? Also, what if someone is only good with 1 character and they excell? I would uninstall bnet and never support another game if they did this nonsense.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

I think it's more or less for people who do this just to get to the top ranks

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Because it's impossible to tell the reason, a ban rule cannot be enforced, it isn't fair.

 

[Mobu]

just put people with many reports on low priority queu, is that simple.


also,if this was enforced, in practice it would only affect torbjorn, hanzo, widow and symmetra players since no one actually gets reported for only playing any of the other heroes which kinda speaks more of how blizzard designed those heroes

 

[Ometeotl]

Seems silly to me and draconian. Why should someone who paid for the game be punished for using a character they enjoy and are good at? That's like banning someone in an FPS for only using pistols.

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Because a Torb threatened to go AFK if the rest of the team didn't change characters to suit his character instead of switching to help the team.

 

[Twilight Suzuka]

To me this is a sign that the game is not balanced properly. If you can't play anyone you want at any time without breaking the game, they need to start fixing it. Even entertaining this concept is honestly shocking to me.

Makes me think Nintendo was onto something with how they limit the stages in Splatoon and shuffle them every 2 hours. Have the game just auto pick teams if they think its that broken.

 

[TubaZef]

imagine banning someone from a fighting tournament for only using their main

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Seems silly to me and draconian. Why should someone who paid for the game be punished for using a character they enjoy and are good at? That's like banning someone in an FPS for only using pistols.

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Those are not the same. Overwatch is a team based game where every player has a function and changing heroes to adapt to different situations is very important.

I believe this is addressed to players that are not cooperating with the team by refusing to change heroes even when it's necessary. I played with a lot of people like this and it's indeed very annoying to say the least. I don't think banning is the best solution though.

Anyway I doubt this would be used on tournaments.

 

[Deleted member 16657]

This is not true and misleading. The guy that got banned for "onetricking" actually got banned for going afk and purposely throwing after someone took his main.

EDIT: I thought this was about XUL, not Fuey. Yeah I don't think Fuey deserves a ban here.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

One of the dumbest things I have ever heard.

 

[Deleted member 135]

Is picking something you are good at and using it, honing it to perfection a bad thing now? Was a term like "one tricking" needed?

 

[Rackham]

Is not having a mic also considered toxic behavior.

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I would honestly consider not being in team chat to be the opposite of competitive. You don't need to be talking but at least hear your teammates when they're calling out enemy positions and strategies.

If they're doing awful shit in chat, then report them and leave the chat but more often than not, people just don't join chat.

 

[Raiden]

Dont worry what they failed to mention is that you can be unbanned with buying lootcrates.

 

[Sirhc]

I only play as Junkrat so this is definitely weird news.

Competitive only though? No biggie.

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First they came for the Hanzo mains.
I said nothing because i wasn't a Hanzo main.
Then they came for the Mercy mains.
I said nothing because I wasn't a Mercy main.
Then they came for the Torb mains.
I said nothing because I wasn't a Torb main.
Then they came for the Junkrats.
And I said this is quickplay, who cares about hero limits or who I play.

 

[less]

I'm amazed that any Dev would even consider this. Horrendous idea. Let people play what they want and are good at.

 

[okayfrog]

Even in competitive, nobody should be banned for choosing only one hero all the time.

 

[Spinluck]

That's disgusting. They ought to be ashamed for even entertaining the thought. Imagine if you got banned from Street Fighter for using Ryu too many times...

Blech.

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Team based shooter=/=one on one 2D fighter

 

[Deleted member 16657]

Is picking something you are good at and using it, honing it to perfection a bad thing now? Was a term like "one tricking" needed?

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Its all about meta vs non meta. No one gives a shit if you are a decent Tracer one trick because she's meta, whereas an excellent Torb one trick will still get flack just by virtue of playing an offmeta char.

 

[Reluctantly Gumblesmug]

idk, i've been playing a lot of mercy because it seems like people are reluctant to play healers. should I be banned?

 

[Salty Rice]

This is just stupid. Let people play the game how they want.

 

[Dalik]

That's ridiculous, and I bet nobody would be banned for playing mercy, that hero needs to die.

 

[bear force one]

No, they're not. They've banned toxic players. In competitive if you're not working with your team, you are toxic. Being "one trick" and not listening to your team mates is a toxic attitude.

Playing competitive and using the excuse that you're not good at any other character is bullshit. I'm glad that they're banning these people

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No. Toxic is allowing someone who is there to do a good job playing a character they are great at at the same ranking you are at to cause you to send in a wrongful player report.

All those who are reporting one tricks should be banned for exploiting the reporting system.

 

[FRS1987]

Those are not the same. Overwatch is a team based game where every player has a function and changing heroes to adapt to different situations is very important.

I believe this is addressed to players that are not cooperating with the team by refusing to change heroes even when it's necessary. I played with a lot of people like this and it's indeed very annoying to say the least. I don't think banning is the best solution though.

Anyway I doubt this would be used on tournaments.

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this makes more sense. I consider that a form of griefing