Overwatch has had a problem with toxic players from the beginning. This is not new – but now Blizzard is actively hunting them down.
In a new developer video, Jeff Kaplan addresses the fight by Blizzard and the team against toxic, meaning abusive and disruptive players.
Now, the search is conducted not only within the game but also externally, reviewing past efforts to make Overwatch more peaceful.
The ongoing fight against toxic players shows results
The measures from the past, such as the new reporting system for console players and the warning system for already reported players, have already had an effect:
- Incidents of abusive chat have reportedly decreased by 17 percent.
- Additionally, about 20% more reports of poor behavior by players have been submitted.
However, Kaplan knows that the problem has only been reduced and not entirely eliminated. But it demonstrates Blizzard’s fight against toxic behavior, and one can already feel positive changes within the community.
The current actions and outlook
Jeff Kaplan emphasizes that they are now primarily searching for such disruptive players on YouTube and want to find them before anyone else can even press the report button. One has to tackle the problem at its roots and not wait until a carpet of weeds has spread!
“We are now actively targeting social media sites like YouTube. There, we search for incidents of toxic behavior and identify the accounts involved. Often, we do this even before anyone can report them or they become noticeable elsewhere. And this is just one example of proactive behavior. Over time, this will make a significant difference,” Jeff Kaplan
The trust in the community and the system is to be restored soon. However, it is a constant fight against toxic players that will likely not be completely won anytime soon.
