Every Overwatch player hates the dreaded Assault game mode in the shooter. Blizzard has been on the receiving end of flak for not being able to balance out this game mode, and now, the developers are giving us access to an experiment.
The Moira and Genji changes on the Experimental Card in Overwatch have been removed. In replacement of them is a failed Assault experiment that the developers want us to try out. Are the experiments a good change of pace for the dreaded Assault game mode?
Assault mode experimented on
The current structure of the Assault game mode tasks the attacking team to capture two points on the map, one after the other. In the experimental Assault mode, things are somewhat different.
In the experiment, teams will take turns capturing a point. To begin with, the first team to go up will be given six minutes to capture Point A. Once the timer runs out, or they can capture the point, the other team will be up to try and capture Point A as well.
If the other team captures Point A, the other team will then try capturing Point B. The teams will not get any time bonuses for capturing a point. Essentially, the six minutes they have is all they have in the game.
The developers have also moved the spawn point, and the setup time will be drastically reduced to keep the momentum of each time going.
Why this can work
In Overwatch, Assault maps are dreaded because they are unbalanced. As per community manager Molly Fender, “If Point A is captured quickly and aggressively, the attacking team tends to be better equipped to quickly capture Point B as well. Since the defending team was not able to charge their ultimate abilities after a quick defeat, they will be less prepared to defend Point B.”
Players hate maps like Oasis, Hanamura, Horizon Lunar Colony, and Paris because of the issues. Whether players like the experiment or not, it won’t make it to the live servers, say the devs. These are simply being given access to the public.
The Assault game mode in Overwatch will forever be dreaded. Blizzard will also have to continue revamping the maps included in the mode. For now, players have still yet to go back to Horizon Lunar Colony and Paris because the maps are still subject to change.
Image used courtesy of Overwatch