The Overwatch Workshop has proven enormously popular with players, already spawning lots of creative and detailed new modes.
The Workshop is a scripting tool that gives Overwatch players a huge amount of control over their own game modes, allowing them to create everything from classic games like Pong to a DotA-inspired MOBA mode.
While many Overwatch players have used to mode to create their own original game-modes and even prototype their own concept heroes, some simply wish to address some of the common issues that have been identified in Overwatch over the years.
Whether accurate or not, it’s not uncommon for the community to come to a consensus on certain problems in the game, from the typical behaviors of certain types of players to specific heroes and their abilities. Thanks to the workshop these issues can now be addressed – by force, where necessary.
Here’s a glimpse into what a community-run Overwatch might look like in alternate realities.
Genji needs healing
Most Overwatch players will be very familiar with the type of Genji player that constantly demands healing, regardless of whether they’ve only taken a single point of damage, where they’re positioned, and whether the healers are even alive.
With this game mode, Genji players will be able to guarantee all the back-up they would like, as the use of the “I need healing” command immediately teleports Mercy to them. This one may not go down so well with support players, however.
Stay on the payload, whether you like it or not
Everyone’s been in those games where the team simply refuses to play the objective. Sadly, many players are more interested in chasing kills and padding stats than actually winning the game – but thanks to u/whoever’s Workshop creation, they won’t have a choice.
In this custom game mode, the Payload is magnetic – it’s impossible to move beyond a certain distance away from it, and players who aren’t directly fighting the pull will be dragged back onto the objective.
#DeleteBrig
Brigitte has long been one of the more controversial characters in Overwatch. Many players not only take issue with the nature of her abilities, but also with the tank-heavy meta her addition gave rise to. Many even took their dislike as far as to start a campaign to have her deleted from the game.
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Simply removing Brigitte from the game is no fun, however. As far as many players are concerned, her punishment must be more severe. In this custom game mode Brigitte can still be used, but if she uses her Shield Bash she instantly dies.
Group up with me!
Along similar lines to the struggle of having team-mates play the objective is the issue that many players encounter with getting their team to stay together.
Most Overwatch players will have experienced those games in which the Tracer and Genji are diving separate targets, there’s a Bastion sat in a corner on his own and the healers are paralyzed with indecision as they try to figure out where they’re supposed to be.
This mode makes it very easy to make sure the team plays together by giving the main tank the power to teleport his whole team to him using the “Group up with me!” voice line.
The anti-Genji mode
For everyone that isn’t a Genji main, this might be a more appropriate rule than the one that kicked off this list. From everyone else’s perspective, Genji can just be rather irritating – whether you’re playing against a particularly good one, playing with a particularly bad one, or they simply won’t shut up about healing.
This game mode offers a very simple solution to the Genji problem – selecting the hero results in an instant automatic defeat.
Fortunately – or unfortunately, depending on your perspective – Overwatch players don’t have the power to institute these kinds of rules in standard play, but if you do want to play the game the way you envision it you now can thanks to the Workshop.