This deaf Overwatch streamer just reached top 500 in ranked

Olivia Richman Published 11/04/2019

Over 105,000 people have now watched Overwatch streamer Maxim76 react to reaching top 500 in Overwatch’s ranked mode.

Peaking at a score of 4,237 Season Rating and reaching the 482nd player ranking with the best rating on his server, Maxim76’s accomplishment is made even greater when you factor in that he’s deaf.

On a Reddit forum post about Maxim76’s placement, a deaf diamond player discussed the difficulties that players like Maxim76 face at higher ranks. This includes not hearing flankers like Genji, although with practice they’re able to calculate where he’s coming from and when.

For deaf gamers, it can often come down to visual cues and patterns. And spamming tab to see on-screen stats displays.

Deaf players also have a difficult time knowing when some ultimates are popping off, including Widowmaker’s, which doesn’t otherwise have a physical cue in-game. The Reddit user said he usually asks his team to type out in chat if there’s something major happening along those lines.

Reaching top 500 without the use of Overwatch’s many sound cues and voice lines is quite an accomplishment.

Maxim76 is a support main and a flex tank. When it comes to Moira, he’s considered 20th best according to Overbuff’s Overwatch stats. Maxim76 has a 56% win rate with Moira.

Sticking with support is a common choice for deaf players, according to the Reddit forum post, because they often stick with the team instead of venturing off on their own. This makes strategizing and communication a bit easier.

According to his Twitch channel, Maxim76 is a 20-year-old from Ukraine who is studying to be a dental technician. He’s been playing video games since he was a kid, starting with Team Fortress 2. Now his focus is Overwatch, a game which he’s even played professionally in the past.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

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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