Battleborn vs OverWatch

The hype is real folks. The fans have spoken, and most of them seem to favor OverWatch over Battleborn. Whether this hype continues to be validated or not is yet to be seen though. As a gamer, and a guy who has seen the direction competitive multiplayer games take I do have my concerns for both games. Those concerns lying more so with the people playing, and moderating said experiences than with the games themselves. What you have to understand is that online competitive play is nothing like the eSports events that take place in a locally competitive environment. You are actually facing off against random players from across the globe. Some of which do not have your best interest in mind. They usually are not monitored on an eSports level, and often times get away with their cheating regardless of complaints. Cheating aside I feel that both games in question have met with a similar judgment from the gaming community. I've seen, and heard players say that you cannot solo OverWatch, and that the objectives in the modes of play are limited as are the character offerings. On the flip side I've seen Battleborn called out for several things including a poorly implemented reward system, a grindy type of experience that is not in the players favor, and a lack of content. I myself have bitched about it having a mandatory server sign-in. While all of these things are bad in their own right you have to think about which things can be fixed, and which ones cannot.

In the case of OverWatch Blizzard has made it clear that they will perma-ban cheaters based on community feedback. I have to admit that sounds appealing to me since I've been crying out about the constant cheating going on in the competitive gaming scene for quite some time now. At the same time though logic tells me that basing bans solely on community feedback is a bad thing. It can be easily turned against the innocent resulting in the ultimate turning away of those who put their faith, time, and money into the experience. Believe it, or not, but cheaters are very much their own community. They stick by each other, take up for each other, and will go to lengths to grief those who call them out for what they do. What happens when one such cheater gets banned, and they have their collective community call you out as a cheater even though you never did cheat? That's exactly my point, and only time will tell how Blizzard handles things in that respect.

When it comes to Battleborn there's no doubt in my mind that they have lost a good portion of their early adopters due to the initial state of the game, and the hype of OverWatch. I'm still disappointed that the game has a mandatory sign-in with your unlocked content tied to a server data bank that is not in your control. Out of all the complaints talked about online among the Battleborn community I think that is the only one that will always hold ground. The other stuff like rewards, content, and character balance can all be patched. Gearbox has actually been on top of things working with the community, and addressing everything that has been brought to their attention. It is obvious that they aim to please. They've also stated in-game, and outside of the game that players will be getting access to new characters, new modes, and new multiplayer maps free of charge. You don't have to buy the season pass to get what everyone else has. In fact it makes paying for said season pass seem stupid. The biggest thing that still has me on Battleborn's side playing the devil's advocate is the fact that they allowed me to get back into a match I was booted out of. With all of my level skills still intact, no less. I don't see Blizzard doing the same with OverWatch, but if they do more power to them.

At the end of the day I think Battleborn can rebound from it's big hit, especially if things go wrong on Blizzard's side. As I said Gearbox, and 2KSupport are showing their remaining Battleborn fan base that they care, and that they are willing to listen. So far all I've heard of Blizzard is a perma-ban system based on community feedback. It's definitely gonna be interesting to see how things pan out over the next few months for both titles. Perhaps both games will flop so bad that both groups of naysayers will have to admit their wrongs. Perhaps one game will overshadow the other in popularity, and perhaps that game will not be the one people are thinking at this moment in time. Who knows. Only time will tell. Feel free as always to weigh in with your thoughts, and opinions in the comment section below. I'd love to hear what you have to say!