A Modest No-Ban Proposal

Please Google A Modest Proposal Before You Comment

With so many people championing the eclectic system of map drafting, it comes to the dutiful task of the few loyal to the cause to issue forth a proposal supporting the preset map selection setup by Blizzard.

First off, I feel as though players are being a little sensitive around the topic. If you are the best team in the world, wouldn’t it make sense to be able to compete on all map types? SKT doesn’t require a handicap of map bans to establish their dominance over their opponents, and neither should EnVyUs. I believe Taimou puts it the best when he indicates with relative joy:

His joy may have caused a misprint in the second line. I think he is thanking MLG for “no map bans”

And there is indeed truth in his exclamation. Each map in a specific type has essentially the same design. Players should be able to recall previous examples of these maps simply through the hours and hours they put into Quick Play and immediately put the experience into usage. Furthermore, I believe Blizzard has allocated enough time in the day to keep each map practiced. If teams and players allocate an hour per map per day, they each would have nine spare hours to use as they see fit. This generous distribution of time per team and per player should be more than enough for the sake of pushing the map agenda forward. I expect Blizzard to patch changes once the map pool reaches 24 by buffing the number of hours in a day.

Me: I need 9 hours of sleep. Also me: I need to practice 2CP because they are viable in the format currently.

Secondly, I feel as though some maps simply aren’t seeing play anymore. The work, blood, and energy drinks poured into the production of maps like Illios, Temple of Anubis, and the Draw Screen would be wasted if players are given their way in this decision. The lack of play on specific maps is almost certainly indicative of a deeper trend to push forward on overarching players’ rights. Given the ability of players to decide their own rosters, it seems almost excessive to also give them the ability to decide how to play the game they don’t get paid nearly enough to play. However, I understand the whims of Blizzard Entertainment, and thus, will try to convey the desires of the masses to you, the masses.

Do you, the casual player, want to be delegated to a secondary citizen role subject to the arbitrary decisions of a group of players, who understand the game at a deep level? Or do you want to be led by professional players?

In the brief pause elicited by the paragraph break, I am positive you have arrived at the same conclusion I have. We want to follow the group who puts in hard work on a daily basis to shape the way the competitive scene grows. We want to follow the group who deserves my respect and a tithe of a small, yet substantial, amount per month. We want to follow the group who is not swayed by the masses and will not respond for your slightly irrational request for nudes in the DMs. Another group, like professional players simply cannot match the high bar set by Blizzard.

What I assume a nude Blizzard Entertainment would look like

How soon will it be before professional sports players, like Taimou or Reinforce, decide not only our own map preferences, but also the brand of clothing we wear or the brand of toilet paper we use to clean the rim of the bowl? Prostrating ourselves before their “expertise” or their “Top 500 rank” is a slippery slope, which will lead to the downfall of this beautiful game.

If you love Overwatch, please support the preset map pool presented to us by Blizzard at the upcoming tournament. They are simply reducing the intensive (and often painful) process of thinking, while also providing an unique (and thus comparable) group stage experience for each group. Do not be swayed by the opinions of a “few” knowledgeable analysts, professionals, or pundits. Listen to me instead, as my beliefs, lack of 2CP experience, and my bronze ranking allow me to understand the average player.

I expect you to do the right thing.

Sincerely,

Wilson “Scr1be” Xu