Climbing the competitive ladder can be an exceptionally frustrating experience in any PvP game, but for Overwatch players, the game’s shift to a new ranking system with the transition to OW2 last year has added an extra layer of irritation to the endeavor.
With the start of Overwatch 2 in October last year, Blizzard implemented a new ranking system that places players into separate tiers inside their own broader ranking. Previously, players simply had a number that was associated with their skill rating.
In the new system, players can now see how they compare to other players in their rank. However, they don’t get to see their exact skill rating number like they used to, and many players are still perplexed why the shift happened in the first place.
One reddit poster today expressed their distaste for the new system, calling it a “downgrade,” and if you think this is a one-off post to the Overwatch subreddit, you’d be wrong. Posts sharing similar vibes seem to be upvoted on the social media platform at least once every couple of weeks.
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As Blizzard transitioned Overwatch into its new iteration with Overwatch 2, the developer adopted many popular practices from other PvP games. The concept of going free-to-play with a cosmetic shop and battle pass was perhaps the most notable change to the game, and considering how successful many other games have leveraged that monetization tactic, it was likely the right decision.
However, the ranking system changes seem to be a situation in which Blizzard genuinely had it right the first time around. Without fail, it appears that the game’s most vocal players much preferred the more transparent skill rating system from the original game.
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For them, having a direct number attached to your competitive ranking gave the clearest picture of where players stood. By moving to a system that updates player’s rankings less frequently and doesn’t provide them as precise a rating, it has almost felt like Blizzard is trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube. While no ranking system is perfect, the clarity and transparency of Overwatch’s original SR system seems to be much more comforting and less confusing to players.
