'Overwatch' update trolls the trolls with wry humor
A funny thing is happening in Overwatch when players start to misbehave in chat: the game turns their own words against them.
Typing "gg ez" -- shorthand for "good game, easy [win]" -- into the in-match text chat returns a random phrase that twists the writer's unsporting intent in humorous ways.
One reads: "For glory and honor! Huzzah comrades!" Another: "It's past my bedtime. Please don't tell my mommy."
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It's an appropriately metered response to an annoying behavior that isn't so much toxic as it is a dick move. Now, if you type "gg ez" into the text chat Overwatch makes you look like the tool that you are.
Currently, the chat filter is only active in the Overwatch "Public Test Realm," an open-to-all server where developer Blizzard Entertainment tests out in-progress patches. It's also just the PC version of the game, as the console releases don't support text chat.
Blizzard released the latest PTR update on Wednesday, but the new filter isn't mentioned in the patch notes. It's the same update that will eventually introduce the just-announced changes to Overwatch's competitive mode.
The filter is definitely real, though. We tested it firsthand. Watch the text chat on the left side of the screen in the video below (you might want to go full screen):
It's not clear if the "gg ez" filter will be making its way to the live game, but we've reached out to Blizzard for clarification.
Topics Blizzard Entertainment Esports Gaming
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
