With the recent release of the Overwatch League's official Code of Conduct by esports journalist Richard Lewis, many members of the esports community are confused with why this document was not made public from the very beginning and concerned with some of the rules and regulations it imposes on players. The topic of players' mental health in the league has also been brought to the forefront with the recent situation of New York Excelsior player Do-Hyeon "Pine" Kim opting out of competing to take take time to focus on his mental well being. Game Talk Live discusses these topics and more with Host Mandie Roman, who is joined by a panel including associate producer Bud McLaine, video game journalist Sofia Hariz and Overbuff social media coordinator Sabriel Mastin.
With the official Code of Conduct of the Overwatch League officially now available for public viewing, many have questioned why the document and its details were not published officially by Blizzard for the public to see. Each panelist gives their thoughts and opinions on why they believe Blizzard did not have the Code of Conduct out in the public, such as Blizzard's past of being tight lipped on details of products and services or that they believed that without context certain rules would be misunderstood by the public.
Discussion moves onto how the release of this Code of Conduct could possibly push for the creation of a player's union for the Overwatch League or esports in general. While a union could help in certain areas, such as helping players understand exactly what they are getting into when they sign a contract and helping avoid these young players from being taken advantage of, the esports industry's young age makes it difficult to know exactly what is needed for a union to succeed in this particular field.
“The issue with [#esports] is it's so young. And the people...in it are really, really young. It’s sort of the old #Hollywood of kids...thinking, ‘I’m going to do whatever I get to do and I’m going to make money off of it.” -@ItsSofiaH
— GameTalkLive (@GameTalkLive) March 30, 2018
Watch Live: https://t.co/p5f9sgfVK6 pic.twitter.com/HG62Ejvxtr
Are the Overwatch League's rules too strict or are they justified for what is on the line for everyone invloved? The matters of transparency, consistent punishment for similar infranctions and how players adjust from the unstructured environment of streaming to becoming a professional player in a league are all discussed by the panel. Topics also include Blizzard's commitmment to keeping the Overwatch League clean of toxicity and whether or not organizations are helping players avoid making the same mistakes again.
With the restrictions on players and their personal streams also found in the Code of Conduct, the panel discusses the potential reasoning behind Blizzard's decision on the matter, such as their desire for their players to not promote their competitors' games, and how in its current version the document does not draw a clear line of what is considered promotion in the eyes of the league. Should players be allowed to stream any game they would like to?
The panel goes on to explore how Blizzard is looking to set a new standard of what is expected from esports athletes regarding their behavior. While the strict rules of the league's Code of Conduct look to discourage players from making the same public mistakes like those that have plagued the league so far, with so many new and young players funneling into the league, it may be difficult to avoid all future incidents.
“I think @Blizzard_Ent is trying to be the @Disney pf #esports. They have to make sure that [@overwatchleague players] know, ‘We’re going to take a chance on you, but we’re not going to take your crap.'” -@BudMcLaine, on #toxic #OWL players
— GameTalkLive (@GameTalkLive) March 30, 2018
Watch Live: https://t.co/p5f9sgfVK6 pic.twitter.com/TKdOUhwjhb
Finally, the panelists discuss the possible mental health issues that players in the league could be facing and how they should be addressed. Should Blizzard be responsible for helping the players deal with these issues or does that responsibility fall on the organizations that they are a player for? While it would be beneficial for Blizzard to help in the matter, with many of these issues being faced by the players resulting from situations of their daily lives and team dynamics, it would make the most sense for the individual organizations to help their players, such as the Shanghai Dragons and their hiring of a sports psychologist.
Today's episode has wrapped up, but you can catch it in its entirety in the video above. Be sure to check out the previous episode in which game Talk Live discusses the possible unionization of the video game industry.
