The Overwatch endorsement system has lead to a 40% drop in “negative behaviour” in the shooter, developer Blizzard has proclaimed.
As part of a presentation at GDC, Blizzard’s Natasha Miller revealed that matches with “negative behaviour” have dropped 40% since the introduction of the in-game endorsement system. If you’re unfamiliar with endorsements, they allow players to commend others for sportsmanlike or skilled play alongside those who act in a leadership capacity. The system was added to the game in the latter half of 2018 in an effort to encourage positive play.
“In online communities, there are usually no consequences for bad behaviour and no rewards for star players,” Miller said, via Variety. “We wanted the community to have their own reward system.
“We also put out a server to see if players perceived the endorsement system to be the reason for the decrease in negative behaviour,” Miller continued. “Perception can be different than reality, it was close in this case. Players agreed the system was working the way we intended it to.”
Do you think toxic play has decreased in Overwatch since the introduction of this system? Why or why not?
Overwatch is currently available on Windows PC, Xbox One and PS4.
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