Some console owners have actually determined how to get a keyboard and mouse set-up working for Overwatch 2, which others feel is cheating.
While crossplay has become an important, if not mandatory feature of modern online multiplayer games, many console players prefer not to use it to avoid getting into matches against PC players – at least for shooters such as Overwatch 2.
Aside from the PC versions of games sometimes being rife with cheaters, it’s because PC owners tend to use a keyboard and mouse to play their shooters, which allows for quicker response times than a joypad.
Fortunately for Overwatch 2 players, the game has the option to disable crossplay. However, some console players have figured out a way to play their version of the game with a keyboard and mouse set-up; something other console players aren’t especially happy about.
As it stands, there isn’t any official keyboard and mouse support for the console editions. Instead, it’s believed people are using something called XIM technology, that effectively tricks their console into thinking that the inputs from a keyboard and mouse are coming from a controller.
While this gives them the benefit of playing the game with a mouse and keyboard, they’re still registered as console players – when it would be fairer if they were grouped with PC owners. As a result, even if you have crossplay disabled, you may wind up playing against keyboard and mouse users anyway.
As such, console users are expressing their frustration with both these sorts of players and developer Blizzard for not addressing the problem.
In a Reddit thread bluntly titled ‘MnK on console is unfair,’ Banguru Destiny writes: ‘Imagine entering a game to find your team absolutely demolished by someone who hits all headshots and makes 180 in half a second. I don’t understand how it is feasible to go against people who already from the get-go have a mechanical advantage.’
Itchy-Combination280 admits that this is the reason why they’ve experienced burnout while playing, claiming that it was because of these XIM users that Blizzard got rid of aim assist for controllers for the first Overwatch.
Aim assist is a feature some shooters have to help even the playing field between those using a controller and those using a keyboard and mouse. However, Blizzard decided not to reintroduce it for Overwatch 2.
Some players, such as dudeN7, think the best solution is for Blizzard to add official keyboard and mouse support for consoles. That way, those players can be grouped in PC lobbies even if they’re on console.
There is a demand for it. A quick search through the Overwatch subreddit shows several threads made ahead of Overwatch 2’s launch asking Blizzard to add such a feature.
‘It’s absolutely ludicrous that Overwatch has crossplay support, yet does not allow the usage of mouse and keyboard on console,’ said StatewideCrib21. ‘What is even the point of playing with people on PC if I can’t have the edge of using a mouse?
‘And no, I don’t think mouse and keyboard should be allowed while playing with strictly console pools. However, it is silly to not let players pick and choose either a controller or mouse and keyboard while playing in the PC/crossplay pool.’
Thelasershow, however, counters that adding support wouldn’t really work, saying, ‘The whole point of XIM is to look like a controller to the console, so even if you did this, these players would still be in the controller pool.’
It very much seems like a situation with no one right answer and, at the time of writing, Blizzard hasn’t explicitly shared any plans to try and resolve it.
Right now, the development team is likely more preoccupied with getting one of the playable heroes, Mei, working again after an exploitable bug was discovered.
Overwatch 2 is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
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