Photo credit: www.dexerto.com
The development team behind Overwatch 2 has outlined the new hero ban system that will be implemented in ranked matches as part of Season 16.
Hero bans are finally set to become a reality in Overwatch 2, allowing players to influence match balance by eliminating specific characters they believe could skew gameplay.
As the game’s content evolves, certain heroes and strategies begin to dominate the meta, leading to predictable play patterns. The introduction of bans aims to empower players by letting them mitigate the impact of overpowered characters.
Article continues after ad
In a recent blog post, the developers detailed the mechanics of the hero ban system and the insights they hope to gather from tracking banned heroes.
How will hero bans work in Overwatch 2?
Initially, during ranked matches, the text chat will be disabled, and players will not see their opponents during the banning phase.
Players will be prompted to choose a “Preferred Hero” to indicate their favored characters, providing insight for team strategy. Although this choice does not shield any particular hero from being banned, it can influence team discussions.
Article continues after ad
Article continues after ad
Moreover, players have the option to modify their Preferred Hero selection during the ban phase and can communicate with teammates via text or voice to refine their strategy.
The ban phase will allow each team to veto two heroes. Players will nominate three heroes they wish to ban, with their first selection valued at seven points, the second at five points, and the third at three points.
If players prefer not to participate in the ban phase, they can choose to ready up, effectively leaving the decision to their teammates. Should all players decide against banning, then all heroes will remain available for the match.
Article continues after ad
According to the developers, the process of hero bans will unfold as follows:
- The team receiving the most votes for a hero is declared the “first” team, guaranteeing a ban on their most voted character. In case of a tie, a random team will be selected.
- The opposing team then becomes the “second” team and will execute their bans. If their most voted character is not the first team’s pick, both their first and second choices will be banned.
- If the second team’s top pick overlaps with the first team’s vote, the secondary pick will replace it with their third selected hero.
- The first team’s second most voted character will also be banned, using the same process.
- In voting ties, the character with the most individual players voting for it is prohibited.
- If there are still ties, they will be resolved randomly.
- No more than two heroes from each role can be eliminated, ensuring variety in available heroes each match.
The development team noted that analyzing which heroes receive bans will provide crucial information regarding character balancing—strong heroes might require nerfs, while those rarely excluded may need enhancements.
Article continues after ad
They will also gather data regarding bans across different maps, platforms, and regions.
Article continues after ad
Additionally, Season 17 is set to introduce map voting, which will further enhance player agency and strategy in upcoming games.
Source
www.dexerto.com