Dear Blizzard,
You currently have over 500 player icons available to players to collect in Overwatch. As the game grows the number of icons steadily increases and it is currently a huge, disorganised mess. Players are underserved by Icons and I have a number of updates which if implemented, will potentially add another revenue stream, increase player satisfaction and promote higher player engagement. So here’s my ideas (and yes, I have brought up this subject before)
- Allow us to purchase Player Icons
Every other item in the loot box is purchasable with credits, but for some reason, Player Icons are not. Now I do understand that many are not character specific, whereas just about every other collectible item in the loot box is, but that is still dozens, if not hundreds of items that players should be able to purchase. This is a potential new revenue stream that you always had. The player Icons could/should be available for purchase on the Player Icon screen in your Profile. Just left-click on the Player Icon you don’t own and the button to purchase it will pop up in the middle above the top row of all the icons. Click purchase, it will then show you the cost and ask to confirm, you click yes, and bingo - the Icon is yours.
- Allow us to favourite Player Icons.
Like I said earlier, there are over 500 player icons. And that is an incredible number of icons to go through. When I get a new one, great, it is added to the top. But there is no organisation to them, and being able to find a certain one can be annoying. A simple solution would be that I could right-click an icon, and it would be favourited. Favourite Icons would always show up first in the Icon list. I could favourite say… 10. Right click a favourite Icon and it would be un-favourited.
- Set player icon to random.
Sometimes it’s nice to have a random option in games. Its in a lot of games - and player icons should have an option to randomise. Have a button on the profile to set player icon to random, or to randomise through your favourites.
- Search function
Every player icon has a name. Such as "Rolling’ or “Los Muertos”. You went to the trouble of naming every player icon. So it stands to reason that a player should be able to search them. Have a search option, in the top right, just above the Icons, below the player stats. I should be able to type a word, example, Roadhog, and it comes up with all Roadhog Icons. Or if I type in Rolling, the Rolling Icon comes up.
- Filter options
You know, sometimes I feel like a Christmas themed Icon (like now, for instance). Sometimes I feel like a Overwatch League Icon. Or a character themed one. A filter option can be a little downward arrow, to the left of the search bar that when clicked has a drop down menu of options I can filter. Maybe I’m looking for Overwatch League. I click that, than it has a further drop down of all the teams. Clicking that will feature all the icons I have of that team. Maybe Im looking for a certain Holiday character Icon. So I click Halloween, than I click Junkrat, because I want to be Junkenstein. Being able to filter by character type (assault, support, tank) and then further by character, or by Overwatch League and then further by team, or by Holiday and than by which Holiday, will make it very easy for players to quickly find the Player Icon they want.
- Do not show (Hide)
Some Icons I just don’t like. And I’m not the only one! So, an option could be made that if I right-click on an Icon, instead of Favouriting it, I could Hide it. On the bottom of the pins, you could have a button that allows players to show Hidden Player Icons.
- Change background on Icons/design tweaks
I love the purples backgrounds of Sombra and Skull. I would love to use that purple behind Cute Mei. So, why can’t I? It’s a big ask, I know - but I imagine there would be a lot of people who would love being able to make their own Player Icon. Imagine you could take the background colour you like, and add the image you like. You could then rotate the image as you like, and boom - instant custom Player Icon.
You could even charge for this. Imagine charging say 20 coins for colours or images you like.
- Unique Borders/Banners
Every pin has the same border. Why? Why not have a wreath for Christmas pins, or a heart shape for Valentines Day? This could also go into the previous background/make a Player Icon bit. Have a golden border. Have a Shanghai Dragons border. Have a banner and then the Player Icon on that. You have so many more options here than you currently have and you can definitely make this something you could charge coins for.
Overall, I hope I’ve gotten your attention. I’ve compiled ways in which you would increase player engagement and satisfaction, and in addition, increase revenue. Look into this and tell me I’m wrong.
