I’m reaching out because I’ve hit a wall trying to get a clear answer about smurfing and its impact on competitive integrity. I’m frustrated, not just by how often I run into smurf accounts, but by the fact that players are openly grouping with smurfs to manipulate matchmaking with seemingly no consequences.
To me, this feels like blatant cheating. These players are intentionally using low-MMR accounts to exploit the matchmaking system and gain an unfair advantage. Your Code of Conduct states:
“Engaging in any activity that grants an unfair advantage is considered cheating.”
Yet I’ve received inconsistent responses from Customer Support:
- One GM told me smurfing isn’t against the Code of Conduct.
- Another said disruptive gameplay, including smurfing and boosting, is taken very seriously.
- I was referred to the EULA
Here’s what I found in the EULA, under the section on cheating:
“Cheats; i.e. methods not expressly authorized by Blizzard (whether accomplished using hardware, software, a combination thereof, or otherwise), influencing and/or facilitating gameplay, including exploits of any in-game bugs, and thereby granting you and/or any other user an advantage over other players not using such methods.”
Smurfing and boosting seem to fit this definition:
- They influence gameplay by distorting matchmaking.
- They facilitate gameplay by letting players bypass natural skill progression.
- They grant an advantage over fairly matched players.
The Disruption/Harassment section is also relevant:
“Conduct intended to disrupt or diminish the game experience for other players.”
Even if the intent isn’t malicious, the result is often the same: unfair matches, frustrated players, and a compromised competitive environment.
As someone who grew up playing hockey, here’s a quick analogy: local rep teams could call up house league players if needed, but not the other way around. If I were playing in an “A” game and suddenly faced a “AAA” player, it would feel unfair and discouraging. That’s how smurfing feels in Overwatch.
So I’m asking the Overwatch 2 developers directly:
1. Does smurfing breach the Code of Conduct and/or EULA?
2. Is knowingly grouping with a smurf considered cheating?
Support has told me that only developers can give a definitive answer (something about a Blue Post). So here I am, sincerely hoping someone from the team will respond.
P.S. Posting this until I hear from a developer, because alt acounts and smurfs are ruining the game for everyone.
CoC: “Behavior that intentionally detracts from others’ enjoyment.” They ruin the game.
EULA: “Engage in any conduct intended to disrupt or diminish the game experience for other players.” They disrupt the experience.