GOATS is now dead in competitive Overwatch but at least one person wants to honor its memory.
An Overwatch fan has paid tribute to the GOATS meta following the implementation of role locks in pro play. YouTuber Hundred Ten has released a parody of John Denver’s 1971 classic “Take Me Home” that pays homage to the hero lineup that dominated the early stages of the Overwatch League’s second season:
The well known chorus of the song has adapted lyrics that read “just go GOATS, pick Brigitte, D.Va eats, Lucio beats, focus discords, grab the squishies, no more DPS, just go GOATS”
The song also touches on Blizzard’s failed attempts to kill the GOATS meta, stating “tried to nerf it but, the pick rate still is high, you should just embrace it, give this comp a try.”
For most of the last year, Blizzard’s Overwatch League was dominated by the GOATS meta. The acronym stands for “Go All Tanks and Supports,” and refers to a lineup that usually consisted of Reinhardt, Zarya, D.Va, Lucio, Zenyatta, and Brigitte. Though some substitutions were made, fans panned the meta for its slow-paced action and the creative restrictions it placed on teams.
Blizzard tried to weaken the composition in competitive play through numerous balance patches and the introduction of Baptiste, but nerfs to the individual heroes never weakened the overall potency of the strategy.
In July, Blizzard took extreme measures against GOATS by discussing its plans to implement a forced 2-2-2 composition. The lock forces teams to play two supports, two DPS heroes, and two tanks. News of the change was generally well-received by OWL players, though there were some exceptions.
While pro players are already playing 2-2-2 compositions, these changes will launch to the public on August 13. Anyone that wants to take Hundred Ten’s advice on trying out GOATS should do so before it’s too late.
