Blizzard is facing significant backlash from players over poor game moderation and its "greedy" Halloween event.
One of the main software changes implemented in Overwatch 2 was the introduction of a more robust automated moderation system, but this has proven ineffective in dealing with inappropriate content. Recently, news broke (thanks, PC Gamer) of a publicly available 'Sexual Harassment Simulator' custom game lobby live on the game.
Although a spokesperson for Blizzard stated that "inappropriate or explicit content has absolutely no place in our game" and that Blizzard had "immediately removed the user-created game mode once made aware of its existence", PC Gamer reported that it was still accessible using the specific lobby password, and could be hypothetically reuploaded for public use.
This has raised questions not only about the efficacy of Blizzard's automatic moderation systems - as automatic filters can be subverted by using spaces and full stops - but also about the power that moderators have to shut down and publish harmful user-created content.
Furthermore, the recently launched Junkenstein's Revenge 2022 Halloween event for Overwatch 2 has been met with severe anger and disappointment from fans. Due to switching from a loot box system for rewards (as seen in Overwatch) to a store system, there is no way for players to earn Halloween skins by playing the event.
Instead, they are locked behind a $20+ (per skin) paywall. Not only this, but the event's release has been plagued with reports of connection issues; it would seem that even those who wish to enjoy the event despite its lacklustre rewards have been unable to do so.
Players have been taking to Twitter and the Overwatch 2 forums to voice their disappointment. The forums are filled with threads revealing players' outrage: "This is insulting, worst event of all time"; "Uninstalling due to greed"; "LC-208'd after Halloween event"; "There is literally no reason to play the event anymore".
Twitter is much the same. User Queensferra said: "I genuinely cannot justify spending $20+ for new skins when we used to have the opportunity to earn them for free."
User OG_Pure said: "Scariest thing is how awful the prices are."
To which user cuyryn replied: "$30 for Roadhog and Junkrat skins we all had 4 years ago."
Finally, user Malicious_Hero said: "This is gross. You get more by not playing the game, and watching it on Twitch, than you do for actually playing the event. Some of those skins cost more than I make in an hour at work, that's NOT worth it."