Gaming - News
Illegal Overwatch Play Has The Internet Divided
By JESSICA REYES
The Overwatch League (OWL) has officially become the first esports league to play using an open beta of its game, but this has led to some unforeseen consequences. During Opening Weekend, Florida Mayhem exploited a bug to essentially dive bomb Paris Eternal, which OWL referees ruled an illegal play, much to the dissent of fans and participants.
Many fans and professional players joked about the incident online with exaggerated tweets about the ruling's effects. Players from Atlanta Reign, LA Gladiators, and other teams chimed in with their own takes on the ruling, almost all of which sympathized with Florida Mayhem.
Others followed suit, including Florida Mayhem's Assistant Coach, Caleb McGarvey, who said, "I was watching with my three-year-old son who is an avid Mayhem fan, and the agony in my heart when I had to calm him from breaking out in tears the second he saw the Mayhem blatantly cheating in REAL-TIME was quite disturbing as both an OWL, and Mayhem fan. Do Better."
Sean Miller, Head of the Overwatch League, said, "While we understand this was a fun play, the ruling here is that using a Mei wall to reach unusable locations with the Symmetra teleport is an exploit and has never been allowed in OWL matches.” Despite the memes, the Overwatch League stood behind the decision and hasn't addressed it since.
