Win.gg
News
Shroud addresses smurfing in Overwatch, gives developers advice Shroud addresses smurfing in Overwatch, gives developers advice
In a recent stream,
Michael “shroud” Grzesiek gave some simple tips for developers on how to deal with smurf accounts. He gave the advice after an experience playing popular FPS Overwatch.
The former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive professional does not normally stream Overwatch, but recently dove into the game’s ranked play and has played many different games where the practice of smurfing is commonplace. Shroud now has some thoughts on ways to deal with the issue.
Smurfing is where a person may have multiple accounts of the same game in order to play ranked games below their true rank and against easier opponents. While the practice is generally frowned upon, there can be legitimate reasons for doing so.
A player may wish to practice a different role or a different champion in a competitive game without their main rank being penalized, and they similarly may wish to play against a lower rank while playing in a role other than their main. Smurfing is also distinct from boosting, which is against the Overwatch terms of service and involves a high-level player getting paid to boost an account to a certain rank or to then sell a ranked account.
But Shroud explained that one of the biggest reasons for players smurfing is their wanting to play with friends.
“The main reason why people smurf is because they want to play with their friends who don’t really play the game. If they’re too high level they’ll have to make a new account,” Shroud said.
Smurfing can create a negative atmosphere for new players, as the smurf can dominate games at a lower rank than they are accustomed to. Shroud suggests a simple solution.
“The main reason why smurfing exists is because there’s a gap, and you aren’t allowed to play with friends if you are too high a rank. All you have to do is make so you can play with whoever at any rank and you’re fine,” Shroud said.
Other games such as CSGO have created a
“prime”
feature whereby a player registers a cell phone number to an account. The theory being that this will reduce the number of smurfs in the matchmaking mode, as well as the number of cheaters, as it matches prime users together.
Nina Forneloza
About Nina Forneloza
Nina Forneloza is a huge fan of gaming, but her favorite genres of games above all other are gacha games, first-person shooting games, and role-playing games. When she isn’t looking for a lucky pull in the latest gacha, you’re likely to find her in a competitive Valorant lobby or playing the latest big single-player RPG. Either way, you can be assured that she’ll be into it and ready to write about the experience.
View full profile
Read Also
News
Rams vs 49ers Preview — Who Will Win?
Zachary Roberts
The Los Angeles Rams open the season as Super Bowl favorites. Their first test? The division rival San Francisco 49ers. This game obviously has huge implications in what was the strongest division in football last year, sending three teams with 12 wins to the playoffs and hosting both NFC finalists. So, who's going to win? The Rams and 49ers face off tonight in the second game of the NFL season. ...
Twitch
iShowSpeed Livestreams Apple Keynote and Meets New CEO John Ternus
Khizar Mundia
Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. became one of the first non-tech streamers to livestream an Apple event, appearing alongside the company's CEO at the keynote despite initial speculation from fans that he was using a green screen instead of physically being there. Speed has consistently blurred the lines between a streamer and mainstream celebrity in 2026. He collaborated with FIFA on a game and then performed at the World Cup closing ...
Slots
Juice, New B2B iGaming Provider Backed by Stake, Launches at Casinos
Ben Boland
A new B2B iGaming provider has just been launched globally, with Juice going live on September 9. Juice comprises five studios well-known for producing a range of original games for Stake.com. It is releasing a range of over 100 games that can be used by operators all over the world. The five studios behind the new brand comprises Twist Gaming, Knucklehead Syndicate, Monstrums, Massive Studios and The Originals. The entire ...
News
It Looks Like the PlayStation 6 Is Not Coming Out Anytime Soon
Zachary Roberts
The PlayStation 6, much like the Project Helix Xbox, is under development. This much we know, but exactly when the new generation of consoles will arrive is anyone's guess. We know precious few details about the PlayStation 6, including its release date. Kalshi traders, though, have made their opinion known on when the next Sony console will hit the market. Will the PlayStation 6 come out this year? Almost certainly ...
Kick
N3on Claims To Be the World’s First AI Streamer
Khizar Mundia
Controversial content creator Rangesh “N3on” Mutama is facing backlash after announcing that he plans to use AI in his streams going forward, claiming to be the world’s first AI streamer. N3on is no stranger to controversy, but fans thought he was evolving beyond his dramatic reputation with some recent high profile events. In recent weeks he was apparently seen as a GTA character, livestreamed with Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg, and ...
Kick
Kick Users Report Ads Appearing on Non-Monetized Channels; Ethan Wright Responds
Khizar Mundia
Kick recently rolled out ads, but it appears the livestreaming platform is having issues with adverts when a stream crashes. Kick Director Ethan Wright has responded to the issue, acknowledging it and also shedding light on why it happened. Eddie Craven, known for founding both Stake and Kick, went on the record stating that ads were inevitable for the livestreaming platform, but promised they’d be unobtrusive for viewers. Ads went ...
Kick
Kick Creators Allege KPP Cuts, Ethan Wright Responds
Khizar Mundia
Several Kick creators have taken to social media to claim that their KPP payments have been slashed, and Kick Director Ethan Wright has responded amid growing speculation about what is driving the cuts. Livestreaming platform Kick’s biggest factor that contributed substantially to attracting creators was its lucrative 95-5 revenue split. Kick then introduced KPP, where partners would be paid hourly based on their streams, which made the platform even more ...
