Crossplay tensions simmer as Overwatch 2 controller players discover aim assist is disabled against PC

pcgamer.com:

When Overwatch received crossplay last year, Blizzard made a few uncommon decisions(opens in new tab) about how PC and console players would play together. First, it's not an automatic process: unlike most other crossplay shooters, the only way for PC and console players to meet is when console players join a PC player’s group. Second: when console players do make it into a PC player lobby, aim assist on controllers is switched off.

With a new surge of Overwatch 2 players entering the mix, some console players are just now discovering the absence of aim assist when playing with PC friends (as spotted by Kotaku(opens in new tab)), and they're not happy about it.

«For some, it’s just an obstacle, but others just find less enjoyment out of the game being disadvantaged this way,» wrote Reddit user KellySweetHeart(opens in new tab). «It’s a total bummer because PC players already perform better on average, so it hits like a double whammy.»

A year ago, I would've agreed that disabling aim assist for console players makes no sense. The accepted truth is that controller players are at a massive disadvantage even with aim assist on. Today, I'm convinced it's less cut-and-dry. The power of aim assist has become a point of tension in some of the most popular FPSes in the world. In Apex Legends, some PC players and influencers argue that controller players actually have the upper hand when it comes to close-range firefights. It's true that Apex and Warzone's aim assists can be tuned to produce tracking so good(opens in new tab) that it resembles Soldier: 76's actual aimbot ultimate ability.

If I saw aiming like that from a mouse player, I'd strongly consider they're cheating. It's also true that in both games, PC players have key