Blizzard targets Twitch chat toxicity with new Overwatch moderation scheme

Blizzard is trying to clean up Twitch chat for Overwatch events with a new moderation system that requires viewers to link their Twitch and Battle.net accounts before they participate in chat. 

The new system is being trialed on the Twitch channel for Overwatch Contenders, the development league for aspiring pro players. Season 3 quarterfinals matches start today and will run through Jan 12, and when you begin watching a stream you'll be prompted to link your Twitch and Battle.net accounts.

The aim is to create a "more positive viewing experience", Blizzard said on the Overwatch Contenders blog. It's not clear how exactly it will work: the developer didn't mention any punishment for Twitch chat toxicity, but the fact your accounts will be linked suggests that any punishments on Twitch could also have an impact on Battle.net.

Competitive Overwatch could certainly do with cleaning up its act. This year, Blizzard took action against a number of pro players in the Overwatch League for offences ranging from racism to homophobia. Last week, it launched a "player discipline tracker" that will keep a running record of players who violate the league's code of conduct, and the penalties they incur—there are already seven players on the list.

Samuel Horti

Samuel Horti is a long-time freelance writer for PC Gamer based in the UK, who loves RPGs and making long lists of games he'll never have time to play. 

Latest in FPS
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Ogryn
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide adds a psychic horde murderzone mode and makes Ogryns even smashier
Starfield's companion robot giving a thumbs-up
Former Bethesda dev who quit Starfield to go solo says it's 'much less stressful as an indie' without daily meetings or 'office politics': it's 'very refreshing to just care about the game'
A crew of prospectors in Wildgate, featuring a robot, a rabbit man, and a small aquatic creature in a combination mech/aquarium.
Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime's new company is putting Sea of Thieves-style shenanigans in space with a new crew-based shooter
Team Fortress Spy being shocked
An FPS studio pulled its game from Steam after it got caught linking to malware disguised as a demo, but the dev insists it was actually the victim of a labyrinthine conspiracy
Neighbors Suburban Warfare screenshot a child aims a slingshot at a man from across a cul-de-sac.
A beta of backyard FPS Neighbors: Suburban Warfare is out now, and the balance discussion is hysterical: nerf trash can lids and children
Fragpunk
Somebody finally figured out casual Counter-Strike
Latest in News
A mech awakens.
Mecha Break developer is considering unlocking all mechs following open beta feedback
Lara Croft Unified Art
Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics lays off 17 employees 'to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success'
A long bendy arm stealing money from people in a subway car
'You're a very long arm. You steal things. It's a comedy game,' explains developer of comedy game where you steal things with a very long arm
The heroes are attacked by monsters
Pillars of Eternity is getting turn-based combat to mark its 10th anniversary, and that means PC Gamer editors will soon be arguing about combat mechanics again
Image of Ronaldo from Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves trailer
It doesn't really make sense that soccer star Ronaldo is now a Fatal Fury character, but if you follow the money you can see how it happened
Junah beginning a battle in Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Today's RPG fans are 'very sensitive to feeling like they wasted time' when they die, says Metaphor: ReFantazio battle planner—but Atlus still made combat hard anyway