Overwatch 2’s launch has been successful but shaky, marked by strange bugs and early server woes. Now, a number of console players have noticed a small but significant change in cross-play matches between PC and console gamers–it turns out that PC lobbies remove the game’s aim assist, making it difficult for controller players to keep up.
It seems that Overwatch has featured this design decision since it introduced crossplay in June 2021. However, a number of viral posts on the game’s subreddit have raised attention to this design choice in recent days, especially one posted on October 10. “For some, it’s just an obstacle, but others just find less enjoyment out of the game being disadvantaged this way,” the poster writes in part. “It’s a total bummer because PC players already perform better on average, so it hits like a double whammy.”
Some players argue that Blizzard should reverse this decision and enable aim assist, noting that PC/console crossplay matches are only allowed in the game’s casual mode, not its competitive mode. As such, the stakes are lower. Other players argue that players should be able to matchmake according to their preferred input device, since consoles allow you to use mouse and keyboard too these days.
They also argue that notable games like Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Halo all feature aim assist for controller players. However, it’s worth mentioning that Apex Legends players often complain that aim assist makes playing with a controller simply better than mouse and keyboard in competitive modes.
As a whole, though there are good arguments on both sides of the debate, the bottom line is that aim assist in crossplay matches is a de facto industry standard for popular shooter games these days. If Blizzard chooses to go against that paradigm, that’s the company’s decision, but it’s ultimately one that goes against the grain. Meanwhile, Overwatch 2 is giving out goodies to players who are dealing with its raft of release issues.
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