Overwatch has a “Strike Team” in Place to Combat Player Toxicity

Blizzard knows that it has a problem with player toxicity in Overwatch. The game is combating sexism, racism, griefing, match-throwing, and other issues amongst players. Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan told Kotaku that Blizzard has an entire team in place to fight toxicity. In fact, Kaplan called it a “Strike Team.”

The team is intended to fight the problem in the game of players harassing other players. Along with the team, Overwatch has mechanisms in place to report people who are being terrible in-game and for you to see when action has been taken against players. According to Kaplan ending player toxicity is as important as new characters and levels for the game.

“We’re not sitting here with our heads in the sand,” said Kaplan. “You have concerns, and your concerns are now one of our top priorities. If that means the thing we’re gonna focus on as much as Moira and Blizzard World is toxicity, then were gonna do it.”

This toxicity Strike Team is comprised of game designers, support staff, analytics people, and a group called Risk meant to fight cheating and hacking. That team is working up short, medium and long-distance plans to fight the problem. However, detail on exactly what Blizzard’s plans are isnt going to be offered because they don’t want these toxic gamers to learn more about gaming the system.