Smurfing In Overwatch
Smurfing in Overwatch: Is This Still Okay or Should This Already Concern You?
Overwatch is undoubtedly one of the multiplayer games that are popular and trending in the gaming world. It had been just a week that they had announced their role queue when they had released a new hero in the game. Fans and players alike are getting excited about these announcements, raising high expectations for the said game. Watching the trailer with amazing animation and lit back story, it is no longer surprising that even those who are not into the game will be encouraged to play and make a switch.
However, amidst its increasing popularity and strong fan-based, there is one side of it that raises concerns to many – and that is the issue of smurfing.
What is Smurfing?
When you heard the term “smurfing,” just like the others, you might also be thinking of the movie about small blue creatures that live in a village of another dimension. Well, we can blame you for thinking so as the term suggest it. But no, this term, if used in the gaming world, it describes more than the little blue people – and it raises concerns, too.
In the world of multiplayer gaming, smurfing refers to a player who created an alternate account to get matched against the new and inexperienced opponent. This means once they are matched, it will be an easy win for the one with the alternate account. Well, with this game strategy, it enables anyone to have an easier way to win.
Why? According to a popular streamer and avid Overwatch player, one of the main reasons for players committing this, is when you already become a higher-ranked player, you can no longer play with your friends - unless, your friends have the same rank as yours. For the sake of playing and staying competitive with friends who are off from the “higher-ranked” boundary, players create an alternate or new account. This player also suggested that removing this ranking restriction will lessen or even avoid other players to do smurfing.
The Rules, the Gap, and Blizzard
Blizzard Entertainment is the great video game developer and publisher behind the great game of Overwatch. Through the years, they have made strict rules and guidelines in the game proper and even in boosting. However, there is a gap between the higher-ranked players and the lower-ranked ones. If a higher-ranked player was paid to lift the rank of another player, whether they are queuing alongside each other or sharing accounts, just like smurfing, it is not mentioned or implied o the rules of the game.
There are mix reactions of players on various forums about this issue. Some does not care as for them; it is nothing new and had long been part of the gaming world. While for others, it is completely cheating, and as higher-ranked players are expert in the game, it is just easy for them to destroy those that are in lower ranks. From the side of it, it is unfair.
There are still no hints from the developers about this newer old gaming concern. Some player has suggested about changing the strict rules and or just having one account per player. The decision will still be left on the game’s developer Blizzard and expect for more awesome play in Overwatch.