The new changes in Overwatch have helped. Capture the Flag is finally a lot of fun!
When Blizzard introduced the “Capture the Flag” mode with the “Year of the Rooster” event almost a year ago, the game mode was laughed at by many in Overwatch. It was a quick implementation of a player wish and functioned rather poorly.
Thanks to the many strong mobility abilities of certain characters, matches often turned into a guessing game. Often, a Tracer would sneak into the base, steal the flag, and then teleport back to their flag point in no time. This quickly led to very boring counters: Bastion, Torbjörn, and Symmetra fortified the flag area so that getting through was nearly impossible.
It was a fun distraction – but nothing more, as frustration grew after a few rounds of the same repetitive matches, where Torbjörns and Symmetras would just bunker down.
New rules improve Capture the Flag
In 2018, that changed. With the “Year of the Dog”, Blizzard released a new exclusive map for Capture the Flag and also significantly adjusted the rules.
With the restrictions, it is no longer possible to use special mobility abilities, such as Winston’s jump or D.Va’s Boost, because the flag will be dropped immediately. Team play and tactical approaches are finally valued again, leading to fast, exciting matches with plenty of chases.
The initial pick-up of the flag from the flag point now happens spontaneously. However, if the flag is dropped, it takes time to pick it up again or to send it back to the base. This results in many small “King of the Hill” skirmishes.
Thanks to the “Sudden Death” mode, matches without a clear winner also belong to the past.
No matter how you look at it: Blizzard has turned a “meh” mode into an entertaining variant that adds a new facet to Overwatch.
The new map, Ayutthaya, also contributes to the improved gaming experience. Since this map was developed exclusively for Capture the Flag, the mode fits here much better. Narrow corridors with good protection options, as well as open areas where characters with good visibility can shine, provide an almost perfect balance, ensuring that every hero has their place in this mode. The “old” maps cannot compete.
Cortyn says: It’s the first time since Halo that I can really get into a “Capture the Flag” mode. The changes are good and sensible, even if they restrict certain heroes significantly. This understandably creates an imbalance, making the flag carrier more fragile and vulnerable. But this has already contributed to a massive improvement in games like World of Warcraft. For my part, the mode can even be included in ranked play in its current form.
What do you think of the new Capture the Flag mode?
The “Year of the Dog” event in Overwatch will last until March 5.
