Dr Disrespect thinks the Overwatch League is hard to watch
Ever since the Overwatch League’s inagural season, fans have had mixed feelings about the viewing experience.
Unlike the simpicity of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or the aerial view of League of Legends, Overwatch League viewing consists of watching a blend of various views: an overview of the map and a camera that constantly changes between different players’ points of view.
If you’re new to the game, watching the Overwatch League can be an overwhelming experience. One moment you’re watching a Tracer zip to the backlines and the next you’re watching a Widowmaker spy on her opponents from high ground.
Some have said the difficult-to-follow broadcast is part of the reason the Overwatch League doesn’t see big viewing numbers like other esports titles.
Dr Disrespect not impressed by OWL’s presentation to viewers
Twitch personality Herschel “Dr Disrespect” Beahm IV recently weighed in on the subject himself.
The Two-Time recently decided to try streaming Overwatch and the transition from his usual battle royal favorites hasn’t been the easiest. He initially complained about how distracting the game’s shields and special effects are when playing. But after watching a post-match play of the game, Dr Disrespect became even more frustrated, not only for himself, but for his viewers.
Frantically looking around at the action, Dr Disrespect exclaimed: “Look at this, ready, woah yeah woah. I’m on TBS watching the ELeague Overwatch League. I’m a brand-new person and I really know what’s going on, this is really fun to watch!”
It was clearly sarcasm. But in case his fans weren’t sure, he then said, It’s terrible!”
After this declaration, Dr Disrespect slammed his desk and then stared directly into the camera with a look meant to kill.
xQc also frustrated with Overwatch League viewing experience
Dr Disrespect isn’t the only well-known streamer to complain about how difficult it is to watch Overwatch. Former Overwatch League player Felix “xQc” Lengyel was very vocal about how confusing the game is to new viewers.
This complaint might carry even more weight than Dr Disrespect’s, since xQc is very familiar with the game. In fact, he is currently North America’s top Winston player.
xQc stated that parents would have a hard time watching Overwatch compared to a game like CSGO.
“If you said to your dad, let’s watch a CSGO game together and he knows nothing about the game, what does he see? He sees a mother fucker shooting an AK, trying to plant a bomb, it’s that easy. I have a gun, I shoot at you and you can see the enemies. It’s that easy,” xQc said.
On the other hand, if you had your dad watch Overwatch, he’d see a “flying monkey with a bubble” and “some witch” and “purple beams of color and a bunch of explosions on a moving spaceship.”
xQc concluded that while people who already know Overwatch quite well can watch that action, the game is “extremely inaccessible” for casual viewers. He said they don’t want to watch it and don’t even understand it.
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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