Overwatch is a title filled with outlandish tricks for each of the game’s heroes, but it turns out things would be even more over-the-top if players on opposing teams could speak to each other using voice chat.
Coordination is key to success in Overwatch. Being able to combo abilities and ultimates is crucial to a team’s success… so whenever you’re able to force an enemy to use an ultimate early and effectively waste it, it’s a big deal.
As it turns out, if voice chat was shared, this concept could be taken to another level and skilled players could get value in all sorts of new ways that really ramp up the mind games.
For instance, as it stands, one of the biggest cat-and-mouse games in Overwatch is Sombra with EMP and Zenyatta with Transcendence.
https://twitter.com/CDHuntersFacts/status/1422668028274167810
At the highest levels of play, Sombra players will try to force Zenyatta enemies to activate their ultimate early, as it’s one of the few abilities that counter her ultimate. This can be done by coming out of Stealth or Translocating in the air to make it appear like she is going for EMP. Doing damage to the Zen player is another good way to force his ult.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
However, Chengdu Hunters pro Lei ‘Jimmy’ Yujia showed that if Overwatch had shared comms, this could be even easier.
While playing against fellow teammate Cao ‘Farway1987’ Jiale in the same room, Jimmy shouted “I have EMP” and tricked the Zenyatta into using his ultimate.
“Jimmy, f**k you!” Farway swore, unhappy that he had been bamboozled.
Of course, this was only possible because the two were in the same room, but if Overwatch had shared voice comms, this kind of strategy could be used way more often. Currently, the only way to really do something like this is to type it in match chat – or if you’re like Jimmy, be lucky enough to share the same room as an opponent.
Perhaps it’s better the comms are separated because of how chaotic it could be with twelve people using microphones, but it’s clear there are some strategies that aren’t available because of it.
