Well, streamers also need to speak some trash about Blizzard, or whole illusion of “being just like you” will disappear.
Don’t worry, soon enough same streamers will say, that they were mistaken, that Ramattra is great. And many people will immediately forget, that they called same hero garbage just few days ago.
It hurts to laugh this hard with the flu but I guess it’s worth it.
Overwatch has almost never been like this.
New content was traditionally premiered at conventions or other events where attendees (and press) had exclusive access.
Don’t forget that people who were at Blizzcon 2019 are still the only members of the general public who have played Overwatch 2 PVE.
The pve they played in 2019 is night and day to what was showed off even in blizzconline 2021. The rio map they played on is completely different to what the actual map launched like. The ending of that mission was confirmed to be created for that build only meaning it has no weight compared to the full campaign. The talent system is completely different from the one in that build. The item system is no longer a thing and enemy types have been completely reworked since then 
They may as well have been playing diablo at that point
When content creators get a week early access to the actual full campaign and start posting story spoilers and gameplay days before you get to play it, dont come crying to me
And apart from blizzcon this isnt really true.
It kills any fun and engagement knowing that streamers have seen the next 3 heroes and half the content coming next year. It creates a disconnect between you and them. They are supposed to act as your microphone, a way to talk to the devs indirectly through them. That can’t happen when they are in bed with them
Blizzard is pretty desparate at this point. They need shills to help them to keep this game kinda alive, its pathetic.
Genuine question, do you watch movie trailers? Or are you the kind of person that avoids them like the plague?
They never were part of community. They were their own, “elite” club.
So it worked in opposite direction for a while - they are developer’s tools to persuade general public, why everything they do is great. Since “independent” streamer clearly can’t be biased about game, right?
Its all about free marketing.
It would be cool if they gave random players early access too.
And have those players, possibly, market game in bad way?
I personally don’t find this a big deal at all. Majority of the top OW streamers are masters+, so what they do in game doesn’t affect me in anyway. They got early access? Who cares? I’m still going to play the hero regardless of whether they get to play it a week, a month, a year in advance XD I enjoy listening to their opinions and enjoy watching em play.
I watch movie trailers sure
This isnt the same as watching a movie trailer lol. The ganeplay trailers for the season were the equivalent of a movie trailer
What content creators have been allowed to do is essentially release spoiler reviews with clips from the movie showing the spoilers, a day before the film is even in theatres
There is a reason spoiler reviews arent legally allowed to be public until the film is actually out so that people actually get to experience the movie for themselves
Except when Blizzard listens to them and does yet another BS change.
Game is played differently at different ranks.
Blizzard doesn’t give them special treatment when it comes to balance changes…
Actually Blizzard does. Even while they promised not to.
They do? Show me. Genuinely curious.
Early access is also early feedback. So when hero ends up busted for average player, but balanced for “special club”, it’s normal result.
Early feedback? This doesn’t mean anything. Whether the feedback is yesterday, today or tomorrow how does that change anything?
It changes, how content will be released for everyone. As developers listen to it.
Even if they listen to average folk later on, you still will have to deal with busted or useless hero for a while.
This type of early access is definitely not early feedback
You know what was used as early feedback? Ptrs. Something everyone could access no matter who you were. No matter if you were a streamer or a nobody. You could play the ptr and try the content early. Additionally, the data gathered from the ptr was then used to actually make changes before that hero hit live. So it was a useful process
This early access preview is nothing more than a publicity stunt. Not only is it only open to a select few but it isnt designed to get feedback to make changes for launch. Its not like because ramattra is seen as underpowered he will be buffed before he launches today. This whole early preview could be scrapped and nothing would change
Yes, and so do the “elites club”. They’re in the same boat. In fact, many of them have even complained about the slow response from blizzard when it comes to balance changes… Just like us “normal folk”. Blizzard doesn’t cater to them in that sense.