Overwatch to start ending matches when it detects cheats
Who watches the Overwatchers?
Rather than have players suffer through matches where cheaters are cheating up the place, saving bans for future punishment, Overwatch should soon shut down games mid-round as soon as it detects skulduggery. That's a solution Blizzard are currently toying with on the test servers, director Jeff Kaplan explained last week, and it sounds great. When faced with cheaters, I have always found some catharsis in knowing they'll eventually be whacked but I'd rather see immediate bans. Game over, get that git out of my face.
"We have improved detection for cheating, and we now will automatically shut down a match where we detect cheating is happening," Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan explained last week in his July developer update.
"We will make sure that nobody on either side of the match is penalised for that match being shut down, so if you're in a competitive match you won't lose [Skill Rating] if a cheater's on the other team or a cheater's on your team."
That's it. Cheater found? Round ended. Cheater ejected. Head back into matchmaking for another go.
As for the perpetrator, Kaplan said, "very harsh actions are happening against that cheater, you can be assured." That does sound a little like a dad threatening an unruly child with repercussions they lack the fortitude to deliver, but Blizzard do actually ban people.
I like the sound of cheat detection outright ending rounds rather than quietly allowing the cheater to continue. I've heard several developers tout delayed ban waves as a way to keep cheatmakers off-balance, making it harder for the dickheads to know exactly what devs can detect or how. In the endless arms race of cheat and anti-cheat, any edge helps. I can respect that buuut also I'd like cheaters out my games right now thank you bye.
