Is Sombra the Harbinger of Draft?

Blizzard's newest IP in over 17 years, Overwatch, has taken the gaming community by storm. Sparking controversy and competition, many tout Overwatch to be the next big eSports title. With Blizzard's annual Blizzcon in the bag, we were introduced to: Sombra. Our newest Offense hero is here to take the Overwatch scene by storm. Her tech-savvy ways allow her quick mobility and her Hack ability can disable other heroes’ skills with ease.

Not only did she shake things up, but Sombra and patches on the horizon have the potential to usher in change that will alter the way competitive Overwatch is played and viewed forever: “draft mode”. Overwatch has some very creative heroes and as expected; Sombra is as well. Is Blizzard’s newest prodigy being diluted with multiple heroes?

“Character”

The fact that Overwatch heroes are entirely voice acted, have in-game voice interaction between said heroes, all come from culturally different backgrounds, and have the foundations for one hell of a story, you can’t deny that this game has “character”. The way that the competitive scene is set up, more often than not, you will see that “character” become jumbled and contorted. For example: when both Meis use their ultimates on the payload. When both Zaryas use their ultimate, hoping their Tracers follow up for one “big bang”.

Why squander the fantasy and mystique of all that “character” with having duplicate heroes selected in one match? A draft mode, similar but not cloned, from games such as: League of Legends, Dota, or Heroes of the Storm, could help to drive that “character” even farther as a focal point for Overwatch.

It seems to me, that one of the biggest selling points of Overwatch is its character(s). Distinctive, colorful, and drawn like some of our favorite Disney movies, Overwatch brings a sense of playfulness that shooters don’t tend to have. With all of that effort in making polished and highly marketable character(s), is it hindering the spectator experience to see two of the same heroes on screen at the same time?

Intuitive nature

With draft mode, gone are the days of stale match-ups of the same six heroes, game in and game out. Draft mode would eliminate the nuance of “mirror match-ups” as well (however, one could argue that the nuance of “mirror match-ups” themselves are a skill) . I look at this like I am explaining this to my father. He has seen maybe two or three esports matches across many games  -- Street Fighter 5, League of Legends, etc. If I were to show him a match of Overwatch now, I can already hear the myriad of questions that he could come up with.

“Son, why are the armor clad knights, with shields the size of a small cars, both standing still looking at each other like two senile old men? Son, why are the cloaked, skull-men always so sparkly when they spin like a blender through the enemy team? Son, why can’t I see past these odd blue and red crystallized walls?”.

Now, by all means, I’m saying that my dad is the future consumer of esports, but how you grow something, anything, is exposure. It goes without saying, the more you consume of something, the less sensitive to some of these problems you become, but where do we draw the line? People talk about the mess of pixels that is spectating League of Legends or Dota 2. The majority of these games are boiled down to large team fights, where abilities are used in a quick flourishes and the match is decided.  

Overwatch lies somewhere in the middle between a muddy pond and the clear waters of Bermuda. Draft mode may be the chlorine for out dirty pool water.

Lady Justice

Balance then becomes paramount in the “post-draft” world.  Balance is a frightening term for some, and others a chance at creative expression. A “post-draft” world  would leave every hero up for grabs; even heroes not commonly seen as good, become good with the lack of “counters”. Even the way we draft would have to be balanced.

A draft similar to Dota 2 could be the key to our chest. In a staggered draft, you ban while you pick so that you are not entirely banned away for something pivotal to the game. That being said, you see why every hero would need to be near an equal power scale. The scales will always be tipped slightly one way or the other on heroes, but that is where the skill outside of the game comes in. The game itself will always contain a “meta.”

Adding picks and bans adds a whole new level of skill and decision making. On top of picks and bans, the map pool may even see change. The way we perceive, evaluate, and even play on these maps could change in a “post-draft” world. With such a large change, the “Pandora’s box” that is “draft mode”, is something that Blizzard may be hesitant on cracking open.

Ramifications

With such a large change, you have the potential to change something that already works fine on its own. By its own merits, Overwatch isn’t terribly too hard to view, play, or understand on a very basic level. Many people enjoy watching, but with the introduction of more heroes down the line, I feel it is inevitable that draft mode can and should exist.  Simple additions to the spectator client may be sufficient for Blizzard.

Fixing something that isn’t broken is something that games tend to do often. For example, League of Legends is an ever changing game, and many players use that as a large topical point when posed the question: “how long have you played  League of Legends and why?” or “why do you still play League of Legends?”. Stepping into the unknown is scary, dark and forces us to take a chance on someone else's vision. Draft mode could be a net gain, or a net loss. The overall answer to the question is uncertain.

The ball is in Blizzard’s court. The questions are endless when it comes to draft mode. It may or may not be the de-facto way competitive Overwatch should be played, but it could be a worthwhile idea for Blizzard to consider.

If you enjoyed this piece, follow the author for more on Twitter at @Volamel.

Images courtesy of Blizzard.