'Overwatch' will ban you if you use custom games to farm XP

After Overwatch introduced the custom game browser last week allowing players to create and host custom games online, some people started to exploit the feature by inviting players to farm experience while being inactive. Blizzard is not OK with that.

Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan announced today that Blizzard would start taking punishing players who create custom games meant to farm experience as well as the players who join those games.

We are going to start to take disciplinary action against people who partake in these activities. If you create a Custom Game that in any way encourages players to gain experience while inactive, you risk having your account banned. If you join any game mode – including Custom Games – with the intent of gaining experience while being inactive, you risk having your account banned. Also, do not name your Custom Game that in anyway even implies that gaining experience while inactive is OK – please do not even do this as a joke – because you are putting yourself at risk of having your account banned.

XP-farming games essentially let players sit in the game without needing to participate in any way after they choose a hero. Simply finishing a game awards XP (although at a slower rate than when you actually play) so players can just sit and gain levels without actually playing.

When the customs game browser first launched, participants in all custom games earned experience when games concluded. Now due to the XP exploitation, custom Skirmish games will no longer reward XP and have a new AFK timer to keep inactive players from staying in games. The change is expected to hit all regions over the next day.

The Overwatch team knew that there was a possibility for players to start exploiting the system but were hoping that it wouldn't occur so they wouldn't have to put restrictions on custom games. If people continue to exploit custom games for XP, Blizzard will continue to put restrictions on games.

Along with this warning, Blizzard is calling for players to report games in the browser that are created for inactive players to farm experience.

I am making a plea to you – the Overwatch Community at large: please decide what you want to happen here and be a part of the solution. If you enjoy Custom Games awarding experience then please help us combat the behavior we’re seeing now. Do not create Custom Games with the intent of gaining experience while inactive. Don’t join those games. Don’t jokingly put those names in your own Custom Games. And report players who are abusing the system.

So be careful out there and don't abuse the system, or else you may lose your ability to play Overwatch.