Overwatch Competitive Mode Season 1 Impressions

Overwatch Competitive Mode Season 1 has come to an end and all I have to show for it is a spray and player icon, adorned like a “participation ribbon” at a county fair. Finishing Season 1 with a high of Rank 57, the exact rank I walked into Competitive Mode with after the 10 placement matches, cursed to never see that high of a rank ever again as I watched it trickle further and further down the competitive ladder, feeling that Season 1 was a stressful and unfulfilling experience. Those lucky enough to be ranked in the top 500, placing somewhere around rank 78 plus get the showboat sprays and icons, for those that honestly care about those things. I don’t, right now, probably since I don’t have one.

Overwatch Competitive Mode Season 1 wasn’t without its many faults, as Blizzard scrambled to make changes throughout the season.  So with the upcoming season 2, Blizzard has been announcing upcoming changes. Overtime will be getting an overhaul, abandoning sudden death. Ranks will no longer apply, being replaced with tiers. the ranking system of season 1 was a pitfall, if you were unlucky enough or bad enough to sit in rank 40-60 you were in a void that you couldn’t escape. Talented and competent players stuck in these ranks couldn’t carry an entire team of players who rage quit, had no understanding of team comps or counter builds, and didn’t understand strategy or teamwork in general. Matches in these ranks could easily drop your rank substantially in less than 3 games. This changes in season 2 as you will no longer lose tiers until you’re in the top 2 tiers of the competitive brackets.

A problem not addressed by Blizzard for the upcoming season 2 of Overwatch is player abandonment of matches. Abandoning a game 3 or more times gives the player and awol penalty, but it’s really the team that pays. When a teammate leaves you’re given the prompt to leave without penalty, while this is true, it’s also not true. You’re not given an abandonment penalty but you are rewarded with a loss in your rank. So you can stay and fight a losing battle down one man hoping to win, or leave and affect your rank or lose and affect your rank. Blizzard needs to do something about this, someone going AFK or awol shouldn’t directly impact your rank. YOUR RANK.

While I did find Overwatch Competitive Mode Season 1 somewhat unfulfilling, it is in my opinion is the only way to play. Sure teammates can sometimes be “salty” but the skill and desire for good team comps and objective based drive makes each match so much more enjoyable. The upcoming changes to season 2 look promising, Blizzard like many times before is listening to the community and making changes as they see fit. See you in September.