In a developer update video, Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan spoke about the new Competitive Play intended to launch later this month. After listening to fan feedback, Kaplan explains new features and changes in Competitive Play compared its initial functionality in the beta.
Some of his key points include:
- The length of a season will be changed from one month to around two and a half months with a few weeks of downtime between the periods. New seasons will run alongside real-life seasons of the Northern Hemisphere (summer, fall, etc.).
- The format and maps included in Assault Mode will be tweaked for a more balanced experience. Specific changes will be revealed at a later date, Kaplan explained.
- There are plans to reduce the amount of overtime and sudden death occurrences in ranked play. The reasoning is to make such incidents feel “special” when they actually do happen.
- Skill Tiers from the beta are going to be removed and replaced with a new matchmaking rating system or MMR. Players now have what is called a Skill Rating ranging from 1-100. You will be able to see every individual’s Skill Rating and each team’s average rating.
- Whether or not you’re playing with a party will also be visible to others.
- Cosmetic rewards will be given out depending on participation and performance including sprays, icons, and golden guns. Also, exclusive rewards will be reserved for top-ranking players.
You can watch the full video below for a more in-depth explanation of the updates:
Overwatch released last month and has massive popularity.