Blizzard has restored a controversial Overwatch 2 punishment, following outcry when a player was permanently banished for typing the phrase “noob” during a match. The decision quickly drew criticism from fans, who saw it as an excessive punishment. Although Blizzard attempted to make light of the incident on social media, many players remained frustrated with what they viewed as inconsistent moderation.
The controversy unfolded just as Season 18 of Overwatch 2 launched, introducing Wuyang as a new Support hero alongside gameplay updates. Balance updates included increased damage for Genji and new crowd control options for Doomfist, while console players received long-awaited keyboard and mouse functionality.
According to Dexerto, the uproar began after a now-deleted Reddit post by user Content_Tadpole2299 claimed they had been permanently banned for saying “noob.” Following community backlash, Blizzard confirmed on August 29 that the ban had been overturned and the word would no longer result in penalties. While Blizzard attempted humor in its announcement, players pushed back, calling for greater clarity on which words are prohibited in both text and voice chat.
The issue comes as Overwatch 2 continues refining its moderation tools. Blizzard’s approach has been compared to its competitor Marvel Rivals, developed by Netease Games, which also employs automated moderation but assures fans that flagged reports undergo human review to prevent false bans.
The “noob” controversy has amplified ongoing concerns around communication restrictions in online games. While Blizzard has yet to outline whether broader adjustments will be made, fans are calling for a more transparent and consistent system. As the studio balances inclusivity with player freedom, Overwatch 2’s handling of chat moderation remains under close scrutiny.
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