Just in time for the start of the second phase of the Overwatch- League, the summary of the code of conduct has been released, which players and team representatives are expected to follow.
After various offenses by some players, it was also time for these rules to be made public. In contrast to other leagues, however, Blizzard shows only a summary and no detailed information on the mentioned points.
The code was created to establish a harassment-free environment for players and to ensure that the game itself maintains its integrity and does not lose its reputation.
The Code of Conduct
According to the rules published by Blizzard, team members and officials should
- … uphold and maintain the highest standards of personal integrity and sportsmanship.
- … compete at the highest possible level at all times.
- … comply with all applicable laws regarding the game.
- … participate in no practices or activities that bring them or others into public disrepute or involvement in a scandal.
- … engage in no form of harassment or discrimination.
- … participate in no betting related to games, matches, or the entire Overwatch tournament.
- … make no false, defamatory, or insulting remarks, comments, or statements.
- … exploit no cheats, bugs, or glitches in Overwatch.
Each of these points makes sense, but is also not particularly surprising. Reactions in forums like Reddit and in various comment sections are rather amused.
The Community’s Reactions
After all, such rules should be self-evident. Some also raise the amused question of whether the rules were published specifically for Félix “xQc” Lengyel, who has often been noted for insults in the past and was even suspended because of this.
Others see the rules as a direct transition to the realm of Pampers and cotton balls: Is everything that someone finds offensive now going to be punished? Critics fear that now every little comment will be penalized.
However, probably not much will change. In the past, “indecent behavior” like provocatively showing the middle finger has been penalized, even without official rules being publicly announced. Ultimately, it’s about making a clear statement to the outside world.
What do you think? Will the league become quieter because of this?
The “heated boys” of the OWL could also use a well-defined rule or two.
