Protecting Play: The Defense Matrix of Overwatch 2

Chelsea Leah, Blizzard Entertainment

Summary

Overwatch 2’s Defense Matrix includes features and policies to help ensure fair, fun, and welcoming matches for all players.
This includes expanded support for mouse and keyboard on consoles, group matchmaking improvements, and robust anti-cheat and chat moderation tools.
With over one million cheaters banned, the Overwatch team is always pushing for higher levels of competitive integrity and inclusivity.

Even on a hopeful future Earth, a little extra vigilance is needed to help ensure unwanted elements are kept at bay. That’s why there’s the Defense Matrix, Overwatch 2’s comprehensive suite of player protection and integrity systems designed to safeguard the fairness and quality of every match.

The goal is simple: make Overwatch 2 as fun, fair, and welcoming as possible for everyone. From fresh gameplay updates to robust anti-cheat measures, we’re committed to fostering a community where everyone can thrive. Let’s look into a few of the biggest initiatives we’ve rolled out since the launch of Defense Matrix.

Of Mice and Keyboards: A New Era for Console Players

A much-requested update for those of you on console introduced native Mouse and Keyboard support, allowing you to join a new Competitive environment and test your skills on an even playing field. Anyone using Mouse and Keyboard on console will now join the Mouse and Keyboard Pool (formerly the PC Pool), while those sticking with controllers remain in the Controller Pool.

To ensure fairness, those using Mouse and Keyboard must switch to the appropriate pool, or their inputs will be disabled for gameplay. Additionally, aim assist is disabled in the Competitive Mouse and Keyboard Pool, even if a controller is used. These changes aim to maintain competitive integrity while giving you the freedom to choose your preferred peripherals.

For anyone on console sticking with controllers, aim assist remains available in Cross-Play matches with PC friends. Plus, coming up in Season 20, new settings will allow you to fine-tune aim assist strength, window size, ease-in, and smoothing to better suit different play styles and heroes.

Level Up Your Competitive Play Squad

Overwatch 2 has always been a game best enjoyed with friends, but Competitive Play hasn’t always made it easy to group up if your ranks were too far apart. Enter Wide Groups, a feature that allows you to queue for Competitive matches with your friends, no matter their rank.

Wide Groups are defined by the skill gap between the highest- and lowest-ranked players in the group. For example, groups with Diamond or lower players that are more than five Skill Divisions apart, or groups with Masters players more than three Skill Divisions apart, are considered Wide Groups. Any group with a Grand Master or Champion player is also classified as a Wide Group, regardless of the skill gap.

Additionally, a new Modifier will adjust skill progression for Wide Groups, ensuring lower-ranked players aren’t unfairly boosted by higher-ranked teammates. Solo players and Narrow Groups will remain unaffected, as they’ll only be matched with others in similar situations. This change aims to reduce the need for alternate accounts and make Competitive Play more accessible for friends of all skill levels.

Chat Check: Filtering Out the Disruption

Disruptive chat and gameplay behaviors have no place in Overwatch 2. That’s why we’ve implemented Real-Time Text Moderation, a system that hides potentially harmful messages from the lobby. Anyone can choose to view and report these messages if necessary. This technology (which is also deployed in World of Warcraft) aims to make Overwatch 2 a friendlier place to play.

Our machine-learning technology continues to improve, identifying and addressing harmful behaviour in both text and voice chat. Those who engage in disruptive behaviour can expect corrective actions, including silences, suspensions, and bans. Your reports play a crucial role in building a safer environment—if you witness disruptive conduct, please take a moment to report it through the in-game tools. Every report, no matter how small, helps us uphold our commitment to a welcoming community for all players. Any offensive behaviour is still subject to strict enforcement of Blizzard’s In-Game Code of Conduct.

Swinging the Ban Hammer: Over 1 Million Cheaters Banned

Cheating undermines the competitive integrity of Overwatch 2, and we’re proud to announce that over 1 million accounts have been banned for cheating since the game’s launch. This includes players using aimbots, wallhacks, and other cheats, as well as those grouping with known cheaters. Our efforts to combat cheating are ongoing, with even more anti-cheat technologies in development to detect and block hacks more effectively.

The Overwatch team is steadfast in its mission to ensure that every match is as fair and as inclusive as possible. We’re here to help ensure that every match is determined by skill and teamwork, not unfair advantages.

Stay up to date on all of our Defense Matrix initiatives and more on the Overwatch 2 news site. Our work to safeguard fair and welcoming play is never finished; we’re constantly striving to enhance our technology, policies, and community tools in multiple ways. As we push each other and the game ever higher, we remain committed to keeping our community informed about the latest improvements—so stay sharp, remain respectful, and join us as we set new standards for competitive gaming together.

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Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based hero shooter game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 or 6v6 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40+ distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.

Overwatch 2 – Season 19: Haunted Masquerade

Masks, Mythics, and mayhem descend as Season 19 gets spooky with a Haunted Masquerade!

Season 19 creeps in… ambitious and cloaked in mystery! The Haunted Masquerade event introduces a spooktacular mode where mystical masks grant buffs, twisting every battle into a spectral spectacle. Then Stadium transforms under the eerie moonlight, unveiling new Heroes, a cursed map, fresh features, and match-defining Gadgets forged in shadow. Across the season, the festive spirit of Halloween stretches wide as Mythic cosmetics rise from the crypt, and a treasure trove of twisted tricks & treats awaits those brave enough to claim them. Welcome to the Haunted Masquerade, ENTER IF YOU DARE

The post Protecting Play: The Defense Matrix of Overwatch 2 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Fortnite Is Bringing Back the Infinity Blade, Probably the Most Hated Weapon in the Battle Royale’s History

Fortnite is thawing out the Infinity Blade, arguably the game’s most controversial weapon ever, for an appearance in the next season of its OG battle royale mode.

Beginning this Thursday, December 11, Fortnite OG will shift to Chapter 1 Season 7, and let players experience the game’s beloved retro season where all the snow turned up and we got to fly around in planes.

It was a brilliant season, though one that will go down in Fortnite history as one of the most divisive — as Epic Games also introduced the Mythic-quality Infinity Blade sword that was notoriously overpowered. Only one Infinity Blade spawned each match, and lobbies turned into an absolute mess over who nabbed the game-breaking item first.

I remember enjoying the brief disruption to the game’s meta, which was turned on its head and has never seen anything quite like it since (perhaps for good reason). Because, after significant outcry, the Infinity Blade was made unplayable and literally frozen into its pedestal after only a few days, never to be used again — until now.

Epic Games has not said when it intends to unvault the Infinity Blade, or for how long. It’s possible the weapon will be offered at full strength for a brief period, or it could have been rebalanced — for now, players have been left to speculate.

For now, at least, players can expect everything else the original Chapter 1 Season 7 featured to arrive later this week, including items such as balloons and the ability to redeploy your glider, negating fall damage, as well as the fan-favorite X-4 Stormwing planes. Fresh areas of the map include Polar Peak — home to the Ice King, the cheery Happy Hamlet and the Frosty Flights airbase.

Remixed outfits include the feline-tailed Lynx (later the love interest for swole cat Meowscles), onesie-wearing character Onesie, and Fortnite’s battle-scarred take on Father Christmas himself: Sergeant Winter. Is the game really giving up its opportunity to reskin The Ice King? For now, it seems so — though rumors have suggested we may be seeing more of him in the near future.

It is, as always, a busy time for Fortnite — which recently launched its big new Chapter 7 update for the game’s main Battle Royale and Zero Build modes. The game also recently played host to a major Kill Bill crossover, where players could watch Tarantino’s new animated sequence inserted into Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair. And just last night, we learned that Percy Jackson was also coming to the game.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Team Fortress 2 mod Classic is now Classified, literally, and gets a short delay into 2026

In an ideal world, none of us would have to be bound by the rope called copyright, we could produce all the media we want about our favourite things, like that Sukuna from Jujutsu Kaisend and Cinderella ship I have now likely made many of you aware of. Alas, this is not the world we live in, and because of that fact the team by the upcoming mod Team Fortress 2 Classic is having to rename it after a bit of a prompting from the original game’s creators, Valve.

One of our favorite video game deals over Black Friday and Cyber Monday was on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. If it’s one that slipped past you during the sales, Best Buy is here with a little bit of seasonal savings cheer, offering another opportunity to save on this game ahead of the holidays

As part of its Deal of the Day, Best Buy has dropped the price of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater to $39.99 for PS5 and Xbox Series X, knocking a whole $30 off its list price. While it got as low as $30 during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, this is still a stellar offer to jump on.

Keep in mind it won’t be at that price for long, either. Offers from Best Buy’s Deal of the Day page only last through the rest of the day, so act quickly to save on it.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater for $40

Our Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater review had plenty of praise for this remake. IGN’s Michael Higham said, “Between its old-school stealth-action gameplay and engaging spy-thriller story, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater largely succeeds as a faithful, visually impressive remake of the 2004 classic.”

It’s even a game we consider to be one of the best video game remakes of all time, noting “what was once a groundbreaking stealth game is now an enduring classic, thanks to its playful approach to Cold War espionage and its dramatic, cinematic story.” Personally, I’m a big fan as well, and had a blast playing it this year.

While this is an especially nice one-day-only treat from Best Buy today, there are still some other video game deals floating around that are worth a look right now. We’ve gathered up some of the best gaming deals still live after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but they’re going fast. Have a look to see if any that caught your eye are still on sale, and grab them before they’re gone.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Beyond Skyrim: Cyrodiil introduces you to Anvil via a quest about child labour, a shirtless chase, and quick maths

The modders behind Beyond Skyrim: Cyrodiil, the massive modding project aiming to add a post-Oblivion-crisis version of the Imperial province to the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim‘s map, have given a lengthy tour of the latest city they’ve whipped into shape. As teased the other week, that city is Anvil, and it’s certainly home to some quirky folks.

Just in case of confusion, what makes Beyond Skyrim different to both Bethesda’s Oblivion Remastered and recently delayed Oblivion remake mod Skyblivion is that it’ll be introducing a fresh cast of characters and stories to familiar locations from the fourth Elder Scrolls game. After all, by the time of Skyrim, Martin Septim and his contemporaries are long gone.

GameStop Hints At Another Playable Character For Resident Evil Requiem

But it’s not who you think it is.

Although Capcom has remained tightlipped on the prospect of Leon Kennedy cropping up in the upcoming Resident Evil Requiem, a good number of fans are adamant that the veteran character will indeed appear.

However, a new listing over on GameStop drops some new information regarding the Deluxe Edition of the game which, if accurate, seems to hint at a completely different playable character: Rosemary Winters (thanks, IGN).

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

This week in PC games: a skating demon tries to eat the moon and Terminator game appropriately rewrites history

The Maw has once again eaten Edwin. After spending a few days in the news beast’s digestive tract back in October, Edwin did implement fresh safety protocols. No petting The Maw. Only feed The Maw using a standard issue six foot news pole. All teeth cleaning must be performed by a qualified animal dentist with a certificate in eldritch care. Sadly, the CCTV camera shows Edwin was fooled by The Maw’s gurgles, which sounded suspiciously like ‘Can I tell you a secret?’. Edwin proffered his ear, and the cost of his curiosity was to be swallowed whole. We believe he will climb out of the creature’s gullet in time to cover The Game Awards on Thursday.

Shenmue developer Ys Net has threatened legal action over a widely-circulated video designed to look like leaked footage of Shenmue 4.

The footage popped up on social media last week and was promptly shared by numerous websites, even as questions regarding the video’s origins and authenticity swirled.

Now, Ys Net has released a statement to confirm that the footage “has absolutely no connection” to itself and uses the company’s logo without permission. Additionally, Ys Net claimed that such acts “may amount to trademark infringement and unfair competition” and therefore it was now preparing “appropriate measures” and exploring legal options.

Breaking News ‼️
A trailer for Shenmue IV appears to have been leaked from Sega. It is not yet verified by Sega but it seems to be real. pic.twitter.com/GMOlFFgCuw
— SuperSisi (@SuperSisi) December 5, 2025

While some fans took the lengthy “Shenmue 4” clip as too elaborate to be fake, others pointed to a handful of wonky animation effects and its fan-baiting story to suggest it was an elaborate creation made by a fan using generative AI.

Just last month, IGN reported on the increasingly convincing AI-generated GTA 6 “leaks” that are racking up millions of views on social media, as many users simply take what they see at face value.

While generative AI and deepfake technology are nothing new, the past few months have seen a fresh generation of tools such as Sora 2 and Google’s Nano Banana Pro pump out generated content that’s now increasingly difficult to distinguish from the real thing. Last week’s Shenmue 4 video is, seemingly, yet another example of this.

“Ys Net Inc. has confirmed that a video has been posted on social media which uses our company logo without permission, falsely giving the impression that it is an an official ‘Shenmue 4’ related video produced by us,” the company wrote. “This video has absolutely no connection to Ys Net. Furthermore, at this time, Ys Net has not released any trailers, footage or other promotional materials related to ‘Shenmue 4.’

“We recognize that the unauthorized use of our logo, and any act that misleads viewers into believing such content is official, constitutes a serious issues that may amount to trademark infringement and unfair competition. W are currently working with relevant parties and preparing appropriate measures, including potential legal action.

“We sincerely apologize to our fans and all related parties for any confusion this may have caused. We will continue to ensure the proper and accurate dissemination of information, and we ask for your understanding and cooperation.”

As of now, it’s unknown if a fourth major Shenmue game will ever get made, though the franchise’s hardcore fanbase certainly hope it eventually happens. Last year, a group of fans paid to briefly rent a billboard in New York’s Times Square to highlight their hopes for a Shenmue 4. Alas, it’s unknown if the stunt had much impact.

Currently, Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki is working on an enhanced version of Shenmue 3, which wll see the 2019 action adventure release on new platforms with new features and enhanced visuals. Suzuki told IGN in 2023 that he wants to create a fourth game eventually but, following the poor critical reception of the third game, would look to make it more accessible to new fans.

“Rejoining Ryo Hazuki’s quest to avenge his father is exciting, but Shenmue 3 feels like a game that has ignored the innovation and progress of the last 20 years of video game development,” IGN wrote in our Shenmue 3 review, scoring the game 5/10.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Ninja Gaiden 4 revives a long-dormant series without bowing to Sekiro

In 2012, the Ninja Gaiden series went dormant and other developers took up the precise action crown that Tecmo had once forged. Aside from a forgettable 2014 spinoff dubbed Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, fans were starved and left wondering what a modern Ninja Gaiden would resemble. Soulslikes had swept the industry, and fan speculation was rampant that when and if Ryu Hayabusa returned, he would resemble Sekiro, and possible be saddled with a stamina or posture bar.

This year, at last, we found out.

Random: Four Legendary Devs Walk Into A Bar… And We’re So Very Jealous

Imagine the conversations!

It’s the little things in life that bring us the most joy sometimes, and today, we’re bringing you an absolutely delightful photo from developer Suda51 (No More Heroes, Killer7) that’s been doing the rounds over the weekend.

It’s no secret that some of the greatest minds in Japanese game development like to get together to break bread (or knock back a beer or two), but this particular meeting is especially impressive. Here, we’ve got the aforementioned Suda51 with none other than Masahiro Sakurai (Kirby Air Riders, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate), Fumito Ueda (The Last Guardian, Shadow of the Colossus) and Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil, Resident Evil 4).

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Author: Game Infliction