Blizzard is at the moment testing voice chat transcriptions in Overwatch 2 to fight “disruptive behaviour”

Blizzard has began testing audio transcription in Overwatch 2 in an effort to combat again towards verbal abuse within the sport’s voice chat.

In the latest patch notes for Overwatch 2, Blizzard confirmed that it has begun to roll out its audio transcription characteristic as part of its Defence Matrix initiative (thanks, Eurogamer). The characteristic is barely accessible for PC gamers in choose international locations in the intervening time, so when you’re not seeing it that might be why.

This characteristic basically makes use of audio transcriptions of the voice chat that enables Blizzard to “analyse a transcript from a short lived voice chat recording of a reported participant. Gamers will now see a notification when coming into voice chat for the primary time throughout a play session indicating that voice chat could also be recorded.”

The put up notes that when you have this characteristic, to ensure to report the disruptive behaviour as near the purpose it befell as doable, to maximise its effectiveness. “As soon as reported, a short lived audio recording might be used to make a textual content file transcript by means of speech-to-text applications. Nobody listens to the short-term audio recording, which is rapidly deleted after being transcribed. Transcriptions are solely made for experiences of disruptive behaviour in public voice channels, which incorporates staff and match chat—group “celebration” chat is excluded.”

Toxicity has lengthy been a problem in Overwatch voice chat, as it’s in lots of on-line shooters, however Blizzard has by no means actually achieved sufficient to correctly fight it. Clearly we’ll have to attend and see how efficient this characteristic is, because it requires the moderation staff to correctly reply to every report of harassment appropriately, however it might be good if there have been precise penalties for those who wish to make fools of themselves in voice chat.

In a separate current weblog put up, Blizzard additionally touched on the way it plans to alter the battle cross with future seasons, because it admits that it is not fairly happy with the way it at the moment rewards participant development.