Blizzard pulls disturbing Overwatch 2 custom game mode

Overwatch 2 artwork logo with Sojourn, Doomfist, and Junker Queen
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

Content Warning: This story includes references to and descriptions of sexual assault

Update (October 27, 2022): Blizzard has reached out to GamesRadar+ and stated that the "game code for that custom mode is no longer active."

Original story follows...

A despicable Overwatch 2 custom game mode has been removed by Blizzard, but it could, unfortunately, resurface unless further steps are taken. As reported by PCGamer's Tyler Colp, a user-created custom game mode called "Sexual Assault Simulator" was found and shared as a warning by Twitter user Lynn MBE. According to tweets, their 12-year-old child stumbled across it while looking through Overwatch 2's custom game modes. Popular streamer and comedian Limmy then found and shared screenshots of the game mode's descriptions and lobbies.

The disgusting game mode has apparently been in Overwatch 1 since January of this year but was updated after Overwatch 2 launched this month. The description for the mode is: "This is version 1.2 of the new and unique Sexual Harassment Simulator. Find new friends, live a normal life and give birth to a child!" 

The mode forces one player to play as Cassidy against a squad of female-only Overwatch characters. On-screen instructions tell players to knock-down players using Cassidy's Overwatch 1 Flashbang ability (which is gone in the sequel), and "tbag to fuck" enemy players, with the words "raping..." appearing as you do so. This gets enemy players "pregnant" before a bot-version of Torbjorn spawns. Colp reports that the explicit language is written with spaces, presumably to get around an in-game filter. 

Colp reached out to Blizzard to ask about the mode and a spokesperson responded with: "Inappropriate or explicit content has absolutely no place in our game. We immediately removed the user-created game mode once made aware of its existence. We are continually working to improve automatic filters to prevent inappropriate user-created content, and manually removing any that are not caught by the system."

Unfortunately, Colp has confirmed that the five-digit code associated with the mode is still available, so any ill-intentioned player could presumably start up another public match and re-list it in the custom mode section. And since there are already comments under YouTube videos of the deplorable mode asking for code (which we will not link here), this issue clearly isn't fully resolved. "In this case, Blizzard's moderation appears to be limited," Colp writes. "It doesn't seem to include banning custom game codes, nor does it seem to fully filter offensive words out of the text within them. It's also unclear if the original creator has received any sort of punishment."

I've reached out to Blizzard PR for clarification about their restrictions and filters for custom games, but have yet to receive a response at the time of publication.

TOPICS
Alyssa Mercante

Alyssa Mercante is an editor and features writer at GamesRadar based out of Brooklyn, NY. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.

Read more
Overwatch 2 support hero Lucio
Blizzard hands out refunds for a $28 Overwatch 2 skin after making it a free Twitch drop just 24 hours post-release
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail screenshot featuring character Y'shtola Rhul, a Miqo'te woman with white hair framing her face and cat-like ears
Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail helped players block stalkers, but the problem might get much worse with a backend exploit some mods are already taking advantage of
Diablo 4 season 7 screenshot
Blizzard disables Diablo 4 season 7 Witchcraft power that was being used to deal "very egregious numbers" and plans to bring it back "next week"
Junker Queen - Overwatch 2
2 years later, Overwatch 2 Steam reviews crawl back from 'Mostly Negative' thanks to its new perks and old loot boxes
Screenshots of Overwatch 2 showing teams battling it out along with new perks and a Stadium game mode in action
Marvel Rivals isn't going anywhere, so Overwatch 2 is stepping up with game-changing perks and a new mode that borrows from Counter-Strike and League of Legends
Overwatch 2 blizzcon 2023
Overwatch 2 Season 15 finally lets you cancel emotes mid-animation, and it's unironically the best casual change since launch
Latest in Action
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing Yasuke kneeling and praying while wearing a traditional purple robe
Ubisoft reaches deal with Tencent to create $4.3 billion mini-Ubisoft subsidiary to "spearhead development" on new Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six games
Assassin's Creed Shadows Belly of the Beast Ise Sadaoki sending Naoe to get papers
How to retrieve the papers in the Assassin's Creed Shadows Belly of the Beast quest
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin's Creed Shadows shoots past 3 million players and 40 million hours played with the "second-highest day 1 sales revenue in Assassin's Creed franchise history"
A cartoon woman catches a tomato while cooking in Rhythm Heaven Groove
Rhythm Heaven Groove has one of Nintendo's longest-suffering fandoms absolutely feasting: "AFTER 10 YEARS WE FINALLY WON"
Assassin's Creed Shadows The Killing Field executioner boss fight
How to find and kill the executioner in Assassin's Creed Shadows
The Forgotten Cellar door beneath St. Katherine's Church in Atomfall.
How to open the Forgotten Cellar door in Atomfall
Latest in News
Everybody's Golf Hot Shots
The surprise theme of today's Nintendo Direct was classic PlayStation franchises getting a comeback without Sony's involvement
Hogwarts Legacy how many spells
Unannounced Hogwarts Legacy DLC reportedly canceled, partly because the studio wasn't sure it'd be worth players' money
Ultimate X-Men #14
Ultimate X-Men #14 pays homage to a classic Wolverine moment as the Shadow King returns
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing Yasuke kneeling and praying while wearing a traditional purple robe
Ubisoft reaches deal with Tencent to create $4.3 billion mini-Ubisoft subsidiary to "spearhead development" on new Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six games
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last Of Us season 2
The Last of Us showrunner says he isn't worried about fan reaction to season 2: "The best way we could respect our fans and honor them is to not worry about them"
Black Myth: Wukong
English is no longer the biggest language on Steam as Chinese gamers embrace PC gaming even harder after Black Myth: Wukong