I don't blame you for not noticing. It's surprisingly difficult to tell which players in the lobby are playing on different platforms, and the rules for which platforms you can play together are much more complicated than virtually any other cross-play game. There is already considerable confusion in the community. So far, the most common misconception is that when console players are matched with PC players, they are surprised that the game still feels balanced against users who use a mouse and keyboard. In reality, most of these players are not actually playing against PC players, they just think so because the UI of "Overwatch" is confusing.
Console players cannot match up with PC players unless they have a PC friend in their party at the start of matchmaking; groups with PC players automatically go into the "PC pool." Other types of players and groups can only play against other consoles, specifically PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.
To make matters worse, "Overwatch" does not include any of these details about matchmaking in the game itself. Overwatch also follows the increasingly prevalent trend of making it difficult to tell that cross-platform players are in the game. Nowhere on the scoreboard or post-match screens is there any indication of cross-play. You have to call up the social menu (the screen you sometimes use to switch audio channels) and look for a small crossplay symbol next to the player's name. This symbol does not tell you which platform they are on.
It's a lot to keep track of, but not without reason: Blizzard is trying to keep "Overwatch" as fair as ever, while integrating platforms and improving queue times. That's a great idea, but frankly impossible in an FPS.
The last few years have proven that there are clear winners and losers when it comes to crossplay. Mouse players will always have an advantage in aim over controllers, and the more competitive the shooter, the more pronounced this skill gap becomes. This is why the PC version of the Overwatch pool is isolated from the console version of the Funtime pool. It is a more ruthless, separate space that console players can only join by grouping with friends from the PC version.
It's hard to see how console players are supposed to have a good time in the PC pool, especially since one of the advantages that controllers usually have, Aim Assist, is automatically turned off; Blizzard has decided to ban Aim Assist in the name of fairness Blizzard has decided to ban aiming assistance in the name of fairness (if the mouse player can't get aiming help, why should the controller? allows for aiming assist for controller players, and while PC players often complain that the assist is too good at close range, considering the litany of bonuses that PC players enjoy (unlocked frame rate, FOV slider, proper video options, mouse) Is that really a big deal considering all that?" says Blizzard.
Of course, console players have the option of avoiding PC players and enjoying the newly expanded player base. But for players on Overwatch's most obscure and (arguably) least popular platform, the Nintendo Switch, even that could be a problem. While the experience on the console version of Overwatch is nearly identical no matter which Sony or Microsoft console you use, the Switch version is locked to 30fps. This is half the frame rate of the PS/Xbox's 60fps, which is a major disadvantage for fast-moving shooters. Switch players may decide that the disadvantages are not worth it and turn off cross-play. Unfortunately, Reddit user ulemann123 tried this and found some disappointing news:
With crossplay turned off, the Switch's quick play queue time can range from 8 to 15 minutes to play a single match. Since crossplay is on by default, it seems that players who turn it off are automatically in the minority. This is a ridiculously long wait, but if you want to play casual matches on equal footing, it is no longer the only option. As far as I know, wait times were already longer on the Switch than on any other platform, so many might consider the performance disadvantage worth it.
So who are the winners? PlayStation and Xbox players. These platforms can enjoy (theoretically) universally faster cue times without much of an imbalance (unless you choose to jump into the PC pool, which kinda sucks).
It's not bad for PC players either. The ability to group with friends, which was not possible before, is great. While queue times have never been noticeably faster, I have noticed that when PC-only friend groups are matched up with console players, the matchups are a bit easier. The only drawback is that PC players cannot turn off cross-play, so they have no control over how many console players show up on their team (and unfortunately, it makes it harder to win).
It's a good thing that Overwatch's cross-play is in beta, as Blizzard is listening to feedback and aims to improve this feature in the future. In the meantime, apologies to any controller players I've left in the dust over the past week, especially if you're using a Switch.
.
Comments