This week's Overwatch news: grief reporting improvements and pro player salaries

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Overwatch is a truly dynamic game, which means there’s always something new going on behind the scenes or in the community. Each week, we’ll have a round-up of the latest game news. That might be balance notes, character rumors, esports announcements, or just unmissably funny gifs. Here’s what Overwatch fans need to know for the week of July 31.

Reporting and penalty improvements are coming (sort of)

The success of a team game like Overwatch does depend to some extent on good faith and good behavior. In a perfect world, everyone would follow the rules and play matches with a positive attitude. But the world is not perfect, and you will run into some players who bail on ranked matches because they’re losing, who bring hate speech into voice chat, or do other things to ruin the experience.

Last week, a Blizzard community manager announced in the forums that the company will be making investments in better reporting and penalty systems over the next year. That kicks off right away with tougher penalties for verified reports of bad behavior. The company’s response to poor conduct might include silencing, suspension, or banning.

That’s a nice development, but it’s still only on the PC version. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players still have no options to report players to Blizzard. The company is aware of how frustrating this is for players; ranting forum posts on the subject are a dime a dozen. But the Blizzard is still working toward getting its own system in place within the Sony and Microsoft infrastructures.

“We are actively working on the feature and have many elements of undergoing internal testing right now,” Lylirra’s post reads. “Our goal is to implement similar reporting options as are currently available on PC, and any improvements made to PC between now and when it’s available.”

That’s not what a lot of people want to hear, and it’s frustrating that there’s still no console reporting after a year. But it is a timely reminder that a multiplayer game is as good as its people. So, you know, don’t be a jerk. Cool? Cool.

Overwatch League player benefits include big salaries

For those who want to make this game their work and their play, the latest update about the Overwatch League has some very intriguing information. For starters, the minimum salary for a player will be $50K per year. Other benefits include one year guaranteed contracts, health insurance and retirement savings, and a large chunk of team performance bonuses. Blizzard has made it clear that they expect pro players to be treated and paid like the full-time employees they are.

A lot of money (no, really, a LOT of money) is going into making professional Overwatch a serious sport on par with the NFL or NBA. Maintaining a high-profile pro scene alongside the needs of casual players will be a balancing act for Blizzard, but one we hope will create positive experience for all. That would be the ultimate win.

Avoiding D.Va's ultimate, part 1

Roadhog may be playing differently now, but his chain hook still has bite. At least, it can still grab an about-to-blow meka and send it flying safely off the map’s edge. (Source)

Avoiding D.Va's ultimate, part 2

Here's an even easier solution. Jump. No, seriously. This Bastion is a genius. (Source)

Check back every Monday on GamesRadar+ for more Overwatch mayhem and magic.

Anna Washenko
Anna Washenko
Freelance Writer

Anna is a freelance writer who has written for the likes of GamesRadar, Ars Technica, Blizzard Watch, and Mashable. She's also created games as part of various game jams. Anna likes games about solving puzzles and/or shooting things. She wishes she could trade zingers with GLaDOS and have beers with Garrus Vakarian in real life.