Since Overwatch became its final, free-to-play form, maps, modes, and loot boxes from the original game are no longer available. Overwatch 2 has made good changes and added new heroes, and I’m realistic enough to know that some decisions, like the in-game shop being full of expensive skins, can never be changed.
But Blizzard should bring back the post-game scorecards from Overwatch for its semi-sequel. It would be a small reward for a game that has felt less rewarding.
For people who had never played Overwatch before, the original game ended with a screen with up to four cards, each showing a great thing the player had done. Players were rewarded for something they did in the game, like long kill streaks, doing a lot of damage or healing, or (most importantly) helping to reach the goal.
Then, players could give kudos to another player who didn’t do much more than say, “Hey, good job.” Sometimes, the scorecard gives you a chance to show respect for an opponent who stomped your ass in an impressive and classy way.
Between a Play of the Game highlight clip and the option to “endorse” another player on your team, the scorecards at the end of the game might have been unnecessary. Both things are still in Overwatch 2, but the second one has been dramatically simplified. (Blizzard also got rid of post-game medals, which were only visible to the player who earned them and fed into the scoreboard screen. That was a good thing to get rid of.)
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But the scorecards at the end of an Overwatch game also had another purpose. They were a way to find out about team members’ performances that might have been missed in the chaos of a game. Frontline tanks watching over their team might not notice the hardworking support hero helping to move a load across the whole map.
DPS heroes might not always know who on their team kept their health up the whole game. In Overwatch 2, each player can keep better track of their stats, but in the original game, a great way to say “thanks” was to point out a teammate’s great healing, damage dealing, or (most importantly) commitment to the map’s goal.
It helped me a lot, especially when deciding who to back based on how they did at the end of a match. In Overwatch 2, high endorsement levels now give battle pass XP instead of loot boxes. This makes battle pass XP a significant reward. Scorecards gave a lot of information about who should get an endorsement. And while I’m going on a rant…
A view from Symmetra’s point of view of the first Overwatch game. On the hybrid map Hollywood, the player is moving towards the payload, and the UI for their character says they are “on fire.” The “on fire” signal for Overwatch should also make a comeback.
It was helpful to understand how my competitors were performing, not because I feel the need for the game to pat my ego when I’m performing exceptionally well, but because I do. It was great for my team and me to see which opposing side members we should target with the most aggression (or being the most terrified of) while playing a specific game. This highlighted who we should be most afraid of.
Blizzard has decided to remove these features for what appear to be good reasons. Post-game medals and scorecards slow down the process of getting back into games, and players compare the number of awards they earn to that of their teammates is a source of toxic stress.
Hot kill streaks will still trigger hero voice lines that state, “I’m on fire!” even if the “on fire” indication has been removed from the game. However, these visual performance reminders provide helpful information. They benefit players who don’t get positive feedback from making significant, flashy moves that destroy the opposing team.
In April, Blizzard announced that the company plan on revisiting the Fire system in the future, as it can create excitement and positive feedback surrounding spectacular plays performed by you or your teammates.” But since then, the creators haven’t provided much additional information regarding the feature.
The elimination of scorecards is not Blizzard’s top focus now. There is still a game that needs to be stabilized, seasonal content that needs to be delivered, and a big feature, which consists of a co-op story and hero missions, that needs to be added. However, scorecards were helpful in the first iteration of Overwatch in that they helped provide some positive benefits. And players of Overwatch 2 require a more upbeat attitude.
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