What flavor of Overwatch would you like today? Game director Aaron Keller explains the team’s focus on features that encourage player choice, gameplay customization, and building a tailored experience.
bad game lol
OW Classic when?
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Hey all! Hope you’re having a great time with Season 17, spending time with your squad exploring the alleys of Aatlis and the mean streets of Stadium.
Yeah, about that - mind putting Aatlis and Samoa in the 6v6 map pool, please? I still haven’t played it.
Thank you.
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Keep the voting in ranked, QP was fine
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On that note, we have a big update to Perks coming in Season 18, and we’re already thinking about what else we can do to give players more control mid-match.
No, stop. Stop it. Do NOT “give players more control mid-match” if that entails adding more abysmal systems like perks, or additional perks per match.
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Thanks for adding 100 avoid slots! That was long overdue 
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I’m hoping that that was code for “we’re replacing some of the current placeholder perks with real ones”. Some characters get robbed.
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I think they’d proclaimed they’d do as much ages back. But still… god, get perks out of the game PLEASE. same with s9 slop. i am so tired after all these seasons 
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But I and many others like the voting in qp, and having some say in what map we play.
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I was wondering why that weekly blog was missing last week then I realized it was a holiday, neat that they put one out on monday instead though
the only mode available was Quickplay
This is Weekly Brawl erasure 
When you look at all the other ways to play, like Arcade modes or Hero Mastery, things are starting to seem a little cluttered. We’re planning to take a fresh look at all of Overwatch’s offerings to see where we can simplify and streamline, such as improving navigation between screens, or a revamped Arcade experience
yes definitely agree. Hero mastery is fine as a sort of single player thing but I find that I don’t even really think about arcade anymore even though I enjoy modes like team deathmatch
This kind of work is tricky; we want to offer more meaningful choices, increase strategy and depth, and really deliver on the power fantasy of each hero. But adding all of that can easily make the game feel too complex
Yeah I agree it feels great getting a perk but it’s annoying when you get one during a fight and don’t remember the order they’re in for your hero or just don’t have time to pick one. It’s fine as something you do twice a match, but adding anything more to the perk selection could exacerbate this problem. If they wanted to expand perks I think maybe a perk that you pick before the match could be a solid way to go
We’ve also heard feedback that you’re missing certain features that brought personality to matches, like the old end-of-match voting cards
to be honest I don’t really miss these it’s just annoying how a teammate can start drama during POTG and you don’t have any time to argue back anymore
We’re also looking at changes to the endorsement system and iterating other ways players can recognize and interact with one another in positive, supportive ways.
It’s just a random button press right now. I had a match yesterday where I went out of my way to say “good Illari” in chat but then I realized I already autopilot endorsed 2 other people
Our team is taking the first steps toward long-term improvements in this area in Season 18 by making changes and adding meaningful rewards to our progression system. Rather than overhaul big systems like progression, we’re looking to build gradually by adding more ways for you to earn cool stuff, chase your chosen goals, and feel rewarded for your time
Ooh a tease. Season 18 is next one. I’ll be cautiously optimistic
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I like that last part as well, if Blizzard’s thinking of the player for once, I’m happy.
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Everytime one of these director’s takes mentions “listening to the players” I immediately stop reading cause I already know it’s some bull.
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Thanks for the comms. Retrospectively looking at all the things that were added since OW2 launched, we do have a lot more choices now. I can always appreciate that.
A few things that caught my attention:
On that note, we have a big update to Perks coming in Season 18, and we’re already thinking about what else we can do to give players more control mid-match. This kind of work is tricky; we want to offer more meaningful choices, increase strategy and depth, and really deliver on the power fantasy of each hero. But adding all of that can easily make the game feel too complex. Our goal is to find smart, seamless ways to bring more choice into moment-to-moment gameplay, ideally without stacking on new systems or adding friction for players.
I can’t really imagine what the big update could even be, so that’s simultaneously exciting and concerning. It feels like there is an uneven distribution of power with perks. S tier heroes like Sojourn, get S tier perks that deliver the power fantasy for her by not shifting anything about her playstyle, but making it even stronger. Then you try to be transformative with the D-tier heroes, and make their kits play out differently (and often poorly).
If this update is aimed at addressing that gap, I’d find that pretty exciting. If it’s just going to exasperate it further (especially if you can “undo” the perks you chose and re-choose them), then that gap might be even wider.
We’ve also heard feedback that you’re missing certain features that brought personality to matches, like the old end-of-match voting cards. Even if you can’t be hailed as the MVP every game, that kind of social expression matters, and we may have some ideas on how that could return. We’re also looking at changes to the endorsement system and iterating other ways players can recognize and interact with one another in positive, supportive ways.
This would be so fire 
I want to recognize my teammates or enemies that played exceptionally well for various reasons outside of endorsements. I don’t even care that it doesn’t really “mean” anything in the sense that it doesn’t yield rewards, I just liked being able to either see myself on there or see my teammates that did awesome. Even enemies that made an incredible play.
At the end of the day, our goal is to give you the freedom to engage with Overwatch in the way that fits you best. To support those choices with solid and meaningful rewards.
I’m not even against them, but aren’t hero bans be counterproductive to this? They give players the ability to restrict what the enemy can play. And often times we have to use them on the heroes that the balance team has made overpowered (Freja) otherwise they terrorize the lobby and impact the match very disproportionately, which…we don’t really have freedom there. It’s more of situation where we have to ban her as a remedy fix for the mess that is her hero design and power level.
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Missed opportunity to thank us for our attention to this matter 
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Still hoping for competitive CTF or Mystery Heroes to come back. I miss playing those modes competitively, the unranked versions are terrible.
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My guess is that it’s either cleaning out a load of the placeholder perks, or introducing another tier of perks. Maybe the new tier would be available immediately? Could be cool for certain perks that shake up how a character plays.
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Things that I want back:
Assault maps should return to the main game now that map voting exists. If someone doesn’t want to play them, they can simply avoid choosing them. But please let players who love Hanamura, Volskaya, and Anubis enjoy these maps.
Another thing I really miss from OW1 is the end of match soundtrack. You could bring it back as an option that players can enable or disable.
A Bastion perk to play static turret mode again and a Symmetra perk to have the og tp.
New features or content that I want:
Local play option to play the game whenever you want.
Ray tracing option.
A third perk level.
A map maker that lets you place objects and structures already in the game to create new maps for the Workshop.
Obviously, PvE ;=)
Weather effects (please forget the Switch and its limitations now that the Switch 2 exists).
Realistic hair like in the cinematic trailers (Switch players will move to the Switch 2 eventually).
A day/night cycle that changes depending on the real life hour of the country from every map.
The last few seasons have been great. The game has evolved a lot.
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Nerf DPS passive and fix the MM, and remove hero bans.
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100 avoid slots? maybe i should start using them. i think ive only used it a couple of times in the 9 years playing this game heh
the only thing i dont like is hero bans but i dont think that will go away (at least its not in quickplay… DONT BRING IT to quickplay pls)
i dont mind the map voting much
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I think pizzatime was yanking your chain. I didn’t see any mention of this in the article. 
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