Overwatch players spar over lack of Crossplay console aim assist vs PC

Overwatch Crossplay has finally arrived and console players looking to finally play against their rival platform brethren or PC users have begun debating Blizzard’s decision to not allow aim assist.

Aim assist has been a widely controversial subject in many cross platform games, such as Fortnite and Call of Duty because of how strong it is. However, many Overwatch players feel like it isn’t as overpowered in their game and want to see it added in some capacity.

For controller players, aim assist is already in the game for matches strictly between other console players, but it is disabled against PC users. Being able to keep up with opponents using mouse and keyboard can prove to be a difficult task and aim assist can help even the odds, even if only slightly. For some, the lack of aim assist in Crossplay has made the game a major challenge.

Users debated this on the Competitive Overwatch subreddit, arguing how not having aim assist against PC players has made the game “literally unplayable.”

“Not having aim assist on two sticks makes you severely handicapped against PC players. It is far easier to track with a keyboard and mouse than it is to do so with two sticks,” wrote user tphd2006.

“There’s hardly a point to playing with your PC friends if you’re on console. This is only going to result in console players getting flamed by teammates and having a miserable time, and will essentially lead to almost no console and PC players playing together.”

Other users agreed, writing how they too feel the experience is just too difficult for controller players, especially when PC vs console Crossplay only affects Quick Play and other non-competitive modes.

“Yeah I feel really sh*tty when I see console players against me in my replays. They can’t react to flanks fast enough or 180 to deal with them,” another player remarked.

YouTuber YourOverwatch also chimed in on the issue, writing how having aim assist in quick play was “reasonable,” but believes not everyone would be on board.

“Average and low tier PC players may not be too happy about it if it were put into practice. Aim assist is a fast track to the skill floor,” he added.

That said, when compared to other games, Overwatch’s aim assist doesn’t seem to be the biggest problem.

“Fortnite aim assist is quite a lot stronger than it is in OW,” a Redditor insisted. “Seriously if you watch console pro Overwatch the level of aim skill is upsettingly bad it’s not even close.”

Speaking of “pro” or high-level console Overwatch, Console Gaming League’s Overwatch lead ‘Headrammer’ noted on Twitter that even if a custom game has one PC player as a spectator, aim assist is automatically disabled.

This, of course, seems strange as spectating with a PC in a console game could be good for broadcast purposes, but the fact it disables aim assist makes it pointless.

It’s still very early days for Crossplay and there’s no telling what Blizzard has in store for the player base, but there are definitely some kinks the community wants the devs to work out.