Considering that it’s seen its fair share of incidents in the past, Blizzard was looking to put together some rules of conduct for its Overwatch League, in the hope of creating a fair, and safe, environment for all of its players. And today, it fully introduced them, making it very clear that it will not tolerate bad sportsmanship or harassment of any kind.
In the statement, the team noted that the “Overwatch League aspires to be the pinnacle of global, professional esports competition. As such, it is imperative that the league’s rules be clear and comprehensive. Since the league’s inception, teams and players have been provided with the Overwatch League Official Rules. Today we are sharing a summary of those rules for the 2018 season.”
Videos by ComicBook.com
The following statements were made when it came to the Code of Conduct, which Blizzard intends to carry out to strictest effect, so that incidents of the past aren’t repeated:
“Among other things, the Code of Conduct requires that team members and owners:
- observe the highest standards of personal integrity and good sportsmanship;
- compete to the best of their skill and ability at all times;
- comply with all applicable laws at all times;
- not engage in any activity or practice which brings him or her into public disrepute or scandal;
- not engage in any form of harassment or discrimination;
- not place bets on any games, matches, or tournaments involving Overwatch;
- not make any false, defamatory, libelous, or slanderous remarks, comments, or statements; and
- not use or attempt to use any bugs or exploits in Overwatch.”
The summary also notes very specifically that the team has “broad discretion” when it comes to investigating these violations, and promised swift punishment if any of them come up. These could include anything from formal warnings to public reprimands to fines and suspensions, and, in some severe cases, permanent bans from the League itself.
“The Overwatch League Office is committed to enforcing the Official Rules swiftly and fairly, allowing for sufficient investigation and an opportunity to be heard and present evidence. We appreciate the support of our team members, owners, and Overwatch League fans as we continue to build a truly global, professional, and egalitarian league.”
Hopefully this means we’ll see less incidents down the road. (Looking at you, “xQx”.)
The Overwatch League is back in action this evening, and you can watch here.
