New Overwatch 2 Feature Lets You Permanently Avoid Teammates You Don't Like

As a seasoned Overwatch 2 player with countless hours spent in team-based online battles, I can’t help but feel a sigh of relief at the prospect of the new avoid player feature. The frustration of encountering toxic teammates or those who seem to consistently underperform is something that many gamers like myself have experienced far too often.

As an Overwatch 2 gamer, or anyone playing online team-based games for that matter, I can’t help but find myself in a predicament where I have a less-than-ideal game due to a couple of underperforming teammates. Before the ink has even dried on our disagreements, it seems fate insists we join forces again in the next round. The lingering tension from our previous encounter sets the stage for another rocky start, making it hard to imagine things improving, especially given how our last game unfolded.

If you’re accustomed to playing Overwatch, you might be thrilled to learn about a fresh development in Overwatch 2. This new addition enables players to opt out of teaming up with specific individuals they prefer not to play alongside. Gavin Winter, an Overwatch 2 systems designer, officially disclosed this feature recently following earlier mentions, although it has been further detailed since then.

In a past version of the “avoid player” function, gamers could steer clear of specific individuals, though these avoided users would eventually expire, causing possible encounters again at a later time. Now, instead, you’ll be given the chance to block up to 15 players simultaneously. Among those blocked players, you can designate three as “pinned,” ensuring that you will consistently avoid them in those designated slots.

“He explained that the updated system offers 15 blocking options, divided into two categories: 3 ‘Fixed’ blocks which enable you to permanently exclude a particular player from your matches, and these fixed slots do not expire. The remaining 12 are ‘Temporary’ blocks, which last for seven days before they expire, similar to our old system. These temporary slots also follow a priority system that considers several factors when deciding if a blocked player can be matched with you.”

While those who are particularly argumentative with others may suggest that 15 slots isn’t enough, one has to consider how avoiding every single player who’s ever slighted you could impact your matchmaking times, particularly when it comes to competitive modes. On the topic of ranked matches, Winter also acknowledged that it’s possible someone on your avoid list may get into your game anyway if matchmaking pools are smaller “when you’re at very high Rank or if you’re in lower-population regions during off hours.”

This new Overwatch 2 feature should be implemented during Season 12.

2024-08-16 22:40

New Overwatch 2 Feature Lets You Permanently Avoid Teammates You Don’t Like

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