Overwatch 2 players want Blizzard to crack down on streamers who are smurfing in lower ranks while participating in unranked to Grandmaster challenges.
Unranked to Grandmaster challenges are an older trend in Overwatch, as streamers grind their way to the game’s upper echelon on fresh accounts. However, it has long been controversial amongst players and even some content creators.
Despite its popularity, many streamers end up smurfing in ranks they don’t belong to, which could potentially degrade the experience for other players in the lobby.
As a result, a portion of the community is now calling out streamers for engaging in these unranked to GM challenges, asking Blizzard to ban outright ban them.
In a viral post on the Overwatch subreddit, a player called out an OW2 streamer for participating in an unranked to GM challenge in his lobby, and for flaming him and his teammates.
“I’m a Diamond player, and yes I might not be as skilled, but I don’t need an old ass man shouting at me over voice, telling me what to do. It’s so insufferable. He’s not even that good,” said the player.
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Many others agreed with the post, saying that “smurfs ruin the game” and lambasting the challenge as “garbage”.
Others in the comments criticized Blizzard for not taking action on an Overwatch 2 streamer and pro player, YZNSA, who has been allegedly operating an account selling and boosting website that he has advertised on stream.
Technically, smurfing isn’t a bannable offense, but when it comes to boosting, de-ranking, and selling accounts, these all go directly against Blizzard’s terms and services.
Players are upset at Blizzard’s and many other game developers’ unwillingness to ban streamers and content creators who participate in the trend.
“Pretty sure no game company cares about smurfs, look at Valorant, anytime a new character releases he always makes “x to Immortal” series,” another player said.
