There is no doubting Blizzard and its ability to keep “Overwatch” well-balanced. They have proven this since the release of the game last year. Updates were unleashed, tweaks were introduced.
However, the studio cannot deny the fact that the level of toxicity in “Overwatch” has dramatically soared. Players leaving matches early while others keep talking trash. These are all roadblocks to having a great player experience. Here are some ways Blizzard can mitigate the issue once and for all.
Upgrade the penalty system
The penalty system is the only feature in “Overwatch” that can at least work as a roadblock for toxic players.
If they get reports enough for a certain punishment, the penalty system automatically generates the punishment. However, players think that the feature is just way too soft or that it does not necessarily inflict fear. Otherwise, the number of toxic players in the game would have decreased. But no, it even is higher now compared before. One key change Blizzard can do here is to make the Penalty System stricter. To simply put, it should implement a punishment quickly. A report or two should be enough to punish the reported players.
Right now, the feature notifies the user of the reports acquired. This is done through email. But sometimes, the email will contain a notification saying that the player is banned from communication.
He/she is basically mute and cannot chat. Perhaps here, Blizzard can quicken the pace, that instead of a mute, a ban should be implemented right away. Of course, the bad does not have to be heavy. A day or two suspension from playing Competitive Play should be enough. This should at least cover the toxicity the moment it surfaces.
Season Ban right away
Many players went to the official forum site of “Overwatch” to complain about being unable to access Competitive Play. Unbeknownst to them, they got season ban. They cannot play the Competitive Play anymore, not until the next season arrives. This is actually effective considering how devastating this experience can be.
However, much like the mute punishment, the season ban should take a certain amount of disconnections and/or reports to be implemented. Apparently, though, these are enough to give players a window to become toxic.
So instead of doing the same process, maybe Blizzard can Season Ban a player if they deemed it necessary. If a player has a history of toxic reports, then it is something they can consider. Or if a player has been reported several times by various people in a match, then it is also something they can consider. It is about time that studio acts strict and fearless with their punishment process. This can only be made possible, though, if they badly want to mitigate toxicity.