When the Overwatch development team designed the Server Browser for the massively popular multiplayer shooter, the goal was to give players a chance to create custom games that can be shared with their friends and other Overwatch players around the world.
However, when the Game Browser was introduced into Overwatch alongside the launch of Season 4 of competitive play, gamers started exploiting the feature.
'Overwatch' Server Browser XP Farming Exploit
The launch of the Game Browser has created a wide range of interesting matches to provide players a breather from the standard formula of Quick Play and Competitive mode. It has even given gamers the chance to play matches in peace without the overpowered Bastion spoiling the fun for everybody.
However, some players have decided to abuse the Game Browser feature to farm experience points. To do so, players would invite their friends or other players into a custom game of Skirmish, and then after choosing their respective heroes, they would not need to participate and can even go inactive. These players can simply leave Overwatch running on their PC or console, and once the match ended, they would gain experience points even if they did not do anything, allowing them to increase levels faster and acquire loot boxes.
'Overwatch' Game Director Fires Back At XP Farmers
In a post on the official Overwatch forums, game director Jeff Kaplan noted that the development team knew that there would be a chance that players would exploit the Game Browser, but they gave players the benefit of the doubt that they would not do so to release the feature without many restrictions.
"It's very disappointing to us that players abused the system to gain experience while inactive," Kaplan wrote, adding that changes to the Game Browser are now being rolled out to prevent such exploits from being abused once again.
Once the changes are in place, Skirmish in Custom Game will no longer reward experience points to players. In addition, the AFK timer, which boots out players that have been inactive in the game for a certain amount of time, is now being added to Skirmish games in the Game Browser.
XP Farmers To Be Banned From 'Overwatch'
Kaplan noted the discussion among the Overwatch community on how exploiting the Game Browser for experience points seems to sit in a so-called grey area. Kaplan threw out the notion of abusing the feature being something that can be overlooked.
"Abusing and exploiting Custom Game or any other game mode to earn experience in Overwatch while inactive is NOT ok," Kaplan said, before stating that the development team will start to take disciplinary action against users who participate in XP farming custom games.
Players who create a custom game and invite other players with the purpose of gaining experience points while inactive will risk having their account banned. Players who join such games will also face the chance of getting themselves banned from the game. In fact, even naming a custom game in a way that implies XP farming might get a player banned.
After these warnings, Kaplan requested for help from the Overwatch community to stop abusing the system and to report offending players. The development team has plans in place if things get out of hand, with the highest restriction being to turn off experience points for all custom games. Kaplan and the development team do not want things to reach that point, as the Game Browser is more fun without strict limitations, and so it is up to the Overwatch community to keep the Game Browser as clean as possible.
