(Update: No longer allowed to discuss!) Disabled Player SUSPENDED for Playing Torb

Competitive Discussion
1

Last Update:

4/12 I was told I can no longer speak to support about it (or, by proxy, it is to be assumed I can also not ask anyone to do it on my behalf, nor can I communicate by indirect means – which would include the official forums as they are an extension of support.

I was told that doing so would be considered GM ABUSE. I will no longer be able to reply about this topic in public anymore.

Thanks to those who understood or had empathy or critical thinking. You’ll see me in game trying my best until something happens to me.

NOTE I am not asking for this thread to be removed or closed.

Previous Update:

1:30 am, 4/9/2018, just as I left a comp game (as Zen) I got a message:

ERROR
Your Overwatch account has been suspended.

Not just “banned from comp” but suspended entirely.

Original Post

As I logged in today, there was a huge warning on my screen. I had been reported multiple times for

  • inactivity
  • griefing

Both simply are not true. I play Torb to win, and until the recent spat of players tilting (I receive at least one expletive-filled DM a night) my win rate with him was 65%.

Currently, my winrate with Torb is 59%, which is very high considering I have a w/l/d ratio of 176-121-13 with him. I am not throwing a game or trying to make anyone mad when I am playing Torb.

Blizz… (I should type your entire name, but I will respect your rules) you have absolutely no oversight for your reporting system.

I am an adult with severe nerve damage in one arm. It is a little harder for me to use the controller than other people. However, this season I decided to play my best hero (Torb) whenever possible. I found that I rose far above my previous SR scores. At my peak, I was in the top 95 percentile of Torbs. My eliminations, damage, and armor generation exceed most players. My weakness is AIMING, which is WHY I PLAY TORB.

I also have a second account where I try to learn other heroes at a much lower SR rating, but I am still working on it.

So I will say this, to Blizz: if you don’t want me to play your game anymore, have the GUTS to come out and say it. Otherwise, consider yourself on WARNING from the long-time Blizzard supporter from

  • Warcraft 2
  • Starcraft
  • Diablo 2
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo 3

… a person who pre-ordered the Overwatch comic graphic novel from his local store

… and who recently special ordered a Roadhog pop.

… and who convinced his local comic shop to order the blind bag backpack hangers and bought several myself, despite my limited income from disability, in order to the get the Torb. I wore him proudly on my backpack… should I continue to do so?

I am in tears.

… a person who cares about the game and who, despite a physical disability to his aim accuracy, has learned to be quite good at it.

Don’t troll me by proxy for titled players who are abusing your report system.

One thing I learned from Torb is that HARD WORK PAYS OFF. As of now, Blizz… I’m not sure you believe it.

Blizz, please… you’ve got your beard stuck in the litterbox.

68 Likes
2

Yeah I think they are starting to reward bad players if they are warning people due to their picks. Majority of low medal players (including myself) do not know enough to say that a pick is wrong even though they are convinced of it.

In my experience, actual grievers and throwers are rare.

5 Likes
3

Sadly, I’m not popular or exploitative enough to draw any attention to this matter.

All Blizz cares about is OWL. I don’t think they even care about merchandise sales.

6 Likes
4

it is very sad that Blizzard has chosen to not do anything about people who try to spitefully get people banned for playing heroes they dislike.

what is even sadder is when you end up getting targeted and suspended, they will refuse to help you unless you are a popular streamer, they’ll only start to care if their shoddy report system results in negative PR.

13 Likes
8

I don’t report people based purely on hero selection but I can understand why others do. I get annoyed at people who only play one role of hero role let alone only one particular hero because what happens when six support one-tricks get grouped together.
Firstly, your situation has been made much worse because there are people out there that do pick certain heroes (Torb included) purely to troll team mates, these players give one-tricking an even worse name than they already has.
Secondly, you need to understand why people get frustrated. Torb can be extremely powerful in certain situations and strategies but really weak in others. Your lack of flexibility brings down the teams overall ability to adapt to a given situation, especially since you are taking up one of the DPS spots that is usually most needed to be able to switch to counter the enemy hero or composition.
One-tricking is seen as selfish, especially when it’s a niche hero because in certain situations you are basically forcing the rest of the team to play around you to try and make it work.
As far a your disability goes there are many other heroes that aren’t highly aim intensive that you could add to your hero pool. People will be less likely to report you if they look at your profile and see that you are at least trying to by a bit more flexible.

1 Like
9

Secondly, you need to understand why people get frustrated.

Why do you think I don’t? Everyone gets frustrated with certain hero picks. It isn’t a reportable offense, period. This post is about false reports AND the automatic action Blizzard takes on them.

Your lack of flexibility brings down the teams overall ability to adapt to a given situation, especially since you are taking up one of the DPS spots

This isn’t about how good or bad I am. If I am bad, I’ll be placed lower and lower. I will be punished for my “lack of flexibility” which by the way is very ironic since that is similar to my disability the same way a flexible player will be “punished” for being not-that-great with their choice.

So, if I carry a team, no one is being rewarded… but, if I am on a losing team, I am punishing them? That is the exact same logic they use to report, yes, so you hit the nail on the head.

As far a your disability goes

Seriously? You just disablesplained me. Is that even a thing? I guess it is now. “As far as your disability goes.” OK. I’m getting that on a T-Shirt. My P.T. will get a kick out of it.

9 Likes
12

Well, if your team asks you to switch, you have two options. Be a team player and switch, or tell them or have a teammage tell them that you’re a very capable player. If you refuse to do any of those options, I see why you get reported. Sometimes, Torb isn’t needed

5 Likes
13

I feel you man.

Back when I mained Torb I had over 60% win rate with him and, in fact, the only time I ever made Diamond was when I was maining Torb!

But my Xbox Live reputation suffered as a result (this was before the reporting system was added to console) to the point where matchmaking would only match me with other players with low rep, and there typically wasn’t 11 others of those online.

I’d have to play other games to get my rep back up, only to have this same business repeat itself a couple weeks later.

All because people reported me for playing Torb before the match had even begun (and even sometimes after the match we’d won!).

Even after the reporting system was added, I’d still get reported for playing Torb.

So long as the reporting system remains automated, players will continue to be unjustly silenced/suspended due to false reports.

(And if you’re on console, forget putting a support ticket in for help because Blizzard GMs will tell you they cannot overturn silences/suspensions on console and will close your ticket. They claim that’s up to Microsoft/Sony, but both Microsoft and Sony deny this saying it’s Blizzard’s game thus their responsibility.)

7 Likes
14

HERO CHOICE IS NOT A REPORTABLE OFFENSE.

Sometimes, defense Reaper isn’t needed, either. But I’m not going to argue when you obviously didn’t understand what this is about: hero choice is not a reportable offense

11 Likes
15

If he’s not good at any other heroes, what good would asking them to switch be?

It’d be like my team asking me to switch to Mercy/Tracer/Genji, none of which I’m even slightly good with.

3 Likes
16

Well you see, sir, it’s considered poor team work if you’re not being a team player. HERO CHOICE can determine how the game goes. When you go attack torb, literally do nothing, and your team reports you for not switching off, it only shows that you’re a bad teammate and they have the right to report.

1 Like
17

You lacking skill at any other hero is your fault and your fault only. If you go into competitive and start one tricking a hero, you’re going to be viewed as a “bad player.” You should be able to get the best competitive experience if you just start actually learning how to play other heroes.

2 Likes
19

you could try emailing support, its likely you will get a better response that way

21

I opened a ticket, but since Jeff literally already said this, it means the system in place is broken. Let’s see what happens in 24 hours though.

3 Likes
22

Believe me when I say I would hate to see you actually get banned purely for playing a certain hero. It’s sad that the report system can be abused. While flawed I believe it’s better than having nothing.
All I was trying to say is I understand why they might report based on hero picks, I didn’t say it was right to do so and why I don’t do it myself.
I love playing Zarya but she’s next to useless if there’s no other tanks so I’ll pick differently because it will give the team a better chance of winning. I’m certainly not saying you should always have to swap because the team wants you to but there are situations where playing your best hero will not be the best to help secure victory. The frustration comes in games when feels like you are the only one willing to make these sacrifices.
Also, I wasn’t trying to insult you (or whatever the word you used was). You stated you had trouble using the controller, that aiming was an issue and was the reason you play Torb. I was just trying to remind you that, while it limits your hero pool, it doesn’t limit you to only Torb, that is a choice you are making.

2 Likes
23

Probably should be reported for “Poor teamwork” rather than inactivity or greifing though, or have they taken that option out?

24

Yes, of the few heroes which I can play well, I choose one of them. And it’s not a reportable offense.

25

Twitter is the best place to get companies to listen.

Try posting something on their Twitter account. Keep it short and simple.

GL dude!

Oh and disabledsplaining (play on mansplaining) is as valid a statement as mansplaining, which is a sexist term, designed to silence men via gender shaming. So I wouldn’t use it as a response. Just my opinion.

2 Likes
26

I’m really sorry for you man, I really am! This reporting system has to be one huge joke. YOU CANT REPORT A PLAYER FOR PLAYING A HERO. But sure, people can report you for any other reason that’s false…

The automated reporting system goes by reports, rather than confirmed behavior. Meaning, your receive reports by players, blizzard servers are going to see you as guilty regardless.

Even if you go to talk to blizzard, they’ll say the same thing, and slap you on the wrist to not do it again.

“We always listen”. - OverWatch facebook
Right…

2 Likes
27

Constantly refusing to work with the team, isn’t “Poor teamwork” a reportable offence? at least is was last time I filed a report. I wouldn’t worry too much though. I’ve sent plenty of reports for throwers, griefers etc. the only notification of action I’ve received that any of my reports were acted upon where the two I sent for spamming racism in the text chat. So as long as you’re not racist or sexist you should be fine.