Blizzard Patents Overwatch's Play Of The Game Feature

One of the best things about Overwatch is its 'Play Of The Game' system that runs after every match and showcases an exemplary play by a single player.

While it does have its flaws, it's a neat feature, and so naturally Blizzard has patented that bad boy.

According to Unikrn, Blizzard applied for the patent back in December 2016, but it only received it this month.

So, what does the patent, patent exactly? Well -- per the outline of the patent document -- Blizzard has patented the system behind the feature, which apparently works with the game's timestapping technology (which timestamps notable events during a match).

After a game runs its course and all of the notable events have been timestamped, the server "scores the events according to a plurality of criteria responding to a plurality of play of the game categories." In other words, a server runs each play through a list of play of the game categories, and the one that ticks the most boxes, gets the spotlight.

Blizzard has also been busy in the patent office with numerous other patents. In addition to the aforementioned patent, it now also has some for the Shutdown, Lifesaver, and Sharpshooter categories.

These three classifications pertain to pulling of a string of successful shots, killing an enemy during their ultimate, and saving a teamate. In addition to patents for these three classifications, Blizzard was also awarded a patent for the social media that shares the clips.

It's unclear whether or not the 'Play of The Game' patent will make it so other games won't be able to use a similar system, or whether it will jut prohibit other games from using the same system. The former is likely the case, but if it is the latter, that would be unfortunate. After all, the feature is pretty neat, and it would be cool to see it in more multiplayer games.

Overwatch is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. In case you missed it, the game recently added its newest hero, an adorable hamster called Wrecking Ball, who has quickly become a fan favorite of the Overwatch community.