Dear Blizzard Entertainment:
As a player who has been following and loving Overwatch for a long time, I would like to make some suggestions on the community atmosphere issues that the game is currently facing. If these issues are not resolved in a timely manner, Overwatch will repeat the mistakes that Overwatch encountered in the Chinese market before.
Background of the problem
One of the main reasons why Overwatch’s popularity dropped sharply before it withdrew from the Chinese market was not the quality of the game itself, but the deterioration of the community environment.
At that time, ridicule and insults in the game were common, and the agent NetEase took a laissez-faire attitude towards such behaviors and failed to effectively manage them.
In the early days of the game’s return to China, the community atmosphere was once good and the player experience was positive. However, as time went on, negative behaviors such as personal attacks, malicious ridicule, and insults have risen again, and are even more rampant than before.
These behaviors include, but are not limited to:
Personal attacks against teammates or opponents
Negative gaming attitude and public ridicule
Using various ways to belittle others, even if they do not contain swear words (such as “XX on the other side, stop playing”)
The severity of the problem
The consequences of such negative behavior are far-reaching:
The gaming experience is seriously damaged: As a team collaboration game, good communication and mutual respect are the basis of Overwatch. The bad community atmosphere makes it impossible for players to enjoy the game itself.
Accelerated player loss: Normal players will choose to leave in the face of continuous negative experiences, resulting in the retention of players who do not care about the game environment or encourage such behavior, forming a vicious cycle.
Negative word-of-mouth communication: A bad community atmosphere will spread through word-of-mouth among players, hindering new players from joining, and even affecting the reputation of other Blizzard games.
Commercial value is damaged: The reduction in the player base directly affects the commercial performance of the game, including in-game purchases, event influence, etc.
Solution suggestion
I think Blizzard needs to take more resolute measures to improve the community environment of Overwatch:
Establish a zero-tolerance policy
Implement a strict punishment mechanism for any form of ridicule or offensive behavior, even if these remarks do not contain obvious swear words. For example, remarks such as “XX on the opposite side, stop playing” that seem mild but have obvious ridicule intentions should also be dealt with seriously.
Step-by-step punishment mechanism
First violation: severe warning and temporary ban (24-48 hours) Longer ban (3-7 days),
Second violation: permanent account ban
Improve the efficiency of the reporting system
Simplify the reporting process and lower the reporting threshold
Add a reporting feedback mechanism to let players know that their reports have produced actual results
Consider introducing an AI-assisted review system to increase processing speed
Strengthen positive behavior incentives
Provide additional rewards for players who actively communicate and work in teams
Establish a “good behavior player” matching system to make it easier for civilized players to match together
Regularly commend players who are active in the community
Strengthen community education
Communicate the code of conduct more clearly in the game
Promote healthy gaming culture through short videos, posters, etc.
Encourage well-known players and professional players to set a good example
Conclusion
The core charm of Overwatch lies in its excellent game design and teamwork experience, all of which are built on a healthy community environment. Blizzard should realize that community governance is not only about player experience, but also directly related to the long-term vitality and commercial success of the game.
I hope Blizzard can show enough courage and determination to take effective measures to improve the community environment of Overwatch. Only by ensuring that players can enjoy the game in a mutually respectful and positive environment can Overwatch regain vitality in the Chinese market and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
Looking forward to seeing Overwatch regain new vitality in the Chinese market.
Sincerely
Loyal Overwatch player