Home Gaming Sony and Microsoft need to ban keyboard and mouse inputs, says Overwatch Director

Sony and Microsoft need to ban keyboard and mouse inputs, says Overwatch Director

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Blizzard slams mouse and keyboard use on consoles 2

Overwatch is having a peculiar issue on console right now, where high level players are suspecting fellow rivals of using keyboard and mouse inputs to be much quicker at the reflex crucial title. It’s a discussion that caught the eye of game director Jeff Kaplan over on the Battle.net forums, where he weighed in on the difficulty with dealing with both Sony and Microsoft on the issue. According to Kaplan, both console makers need to ban support outright – or at least make it far more accessible to even the playing field.

“We have contacted both first-party console manufacturers and expressed our concern about the use of mouse and keyboard and input conversion devices, We have lobbied and will continue to lobby for first-party console manufacturers to either disallow mouse and keyboard and input conversion devices or openly and easily support mouse and keyboard for all players.”

He urged players to join in the conversation and make both Sony and Microsoft aware of the negative impact their in-between support is having for games such as Overwatch, but asked for it to be done in a constructive, respectful manner.

Right now keyboard and mouse support is extremely limited on both consoles. Sony allows the input for browser navigation and other system functions, while Microsoft increases their support in their growing bid to unify both the Xbox One and PC with their Play Anywhere program. The issue lies in devices that allow players to use these inputs in games never designed (or more crucially, balanced) with them in mind, which has serious ramifications for online competitive play.

Both Sony and Microsoft could perhaps look into ways of allowing games to lock out users not using controllers, or give developers a way of seeing what form of input players are using at a given time. This could, in the case of Overwatch, allow Blizzard to seed players into groups based on input alone. But while neither are a reality, it’s an issue that only has dire ramifications for players themselves.

Last Updated: February 6, 2017

48 Comments

  1. Ottokie

    February 6, 2017 at 09:36

  2. Admiral Chief

    February 6, 2017 at 09:39

  3. Admiral Chief

    February 6, 2017 at 09:43

    It comes down to choice of input, you can do it on PC as well. But using controller for FPS…you made the wrong choice hehehe

    Reply

    • Ottokie

      February 6, 2017 at 09:44

      Indeed, don’t complain about others weapon of choice just because it’s bigger caliber xD

      *Ok, jokes aside. This might be due to the aim assist also kicking in with KB and mouse that makes for easy head shots.

      Reply

      • Viking Of Science

        February 6, 2017 at 09:51

        “AIM Assist”? What’s that? Is it like an Aimbot?

        Reply

    • Allykhat

      February 6, 2017 at 10:25

      Choice of input, sure. But. Mouse/KB inputs in most games aren’t really supported on consoles as a control scheme. Believe me, if they were default options, I would definitely be using them. To get them working properly it requires a mod tool like a Cronusmax, which also allows scripting of commands. The problem here is when the standard for all users is the Controller and a 1%er comes online with a Mouse/Keyboard they will outplay anyone on a FPS.

      I’m decent with a controller but much better with a mouse/kb. I ran a test with a mate of mine in Destiny who is TERRIBLE at PVP on controller, whereas I can top log most of the time. He got a cronusmax for other reasons, but we booted it up for some PVP and he utterly destroyed me every single time purely because he could react faster and had a greater range of movement and precision. It is literally game breaking.

      Reply

  4. Sageville

    February 6, 2017 at 10:01

    This is the sole reason why I’m not top of the logs!

    Gorramitalltahell!

    Reply

  5. konfab

    February 6, 2017 at 10:09

    This is a keyphobic act on the part of Blizzard.

    By banning Keyboards, he is letting his bigotry out in the open. No one chooses to prefer keyboards and mice to controllers. It is simply something you are born with.

    Reply

  6. Allykhat

    February 6, 2017 at 10:10

    I’ve been in matches in Overwatch and Titanfall 2 where you can blatantly see in the kill cam that the guy is using a Mouse/KB. It’s physically impossible to have that level and range of movement then pin point accuracy on a controller analogue stick. These guys are usually 30+ kills 1-2 deaths and just face-rolling people. There are some people who can work magic with a controller, but you can see the difference between controller and a mouse. It’s night and day.

    It breaks the game for the most part.

    Reply

    • miaau

      February 6, 2017 at 11:33

      And there is the point “It breaks the game for the most part.”

      Reply

  7. Kromas Ryder

    February 6, 2017 at 10:12

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha ……
    ……. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    …….. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

    Oh crap I just peed myself a little.

    #Masterrace.

    Reply

    • Allykhat

      February 6, 2017 at 10:16

      I don’t understand why all the PC guys are having so much fun with this?

      I would love to use a mouse and keyboard on my console, but I like the controller just as much. And because you dont really have a choice in choosing what controller hardware you use on a console, that helps standardize the experience for everyone.

      Then you get a smartass with a Cronusmax/whatever using a mouse and keyboard in a game balanced for controllers like the other 99% of the playerbase are using. It literally ruins the game.

      So, please do all us console peasants a favor and take your platform bigotry somewhere else. This issue clearly doesn’t impact you, so how about a little compassion for those of us who are actually affected?

      Reply

      • Kromas Ryder

        February 6, 2017 at 10:20

        I am laughing because we always get the “shitty console port” comments. For once you get the short end of the stick. And if you have ever seen my posts I usually joke abiout these thing. My main point is and always have been “As long as you play Mass Effect I don’t care what platform you play on”. People are getting way too sensative.

        Reply

        • Allykhat

          February 6, 2017 at 10:30

          Fair enough, and I also play ME so we good there 😉

          My issue is this though: As someone who loves PVP FPS on consoles. I have to stop playing sometimes because I am essentially losing to a hacker/cheater, because that’s essentially what is happening here.

          Shitty console ports are a serious issue, and I do not agree with them at all, especially seeing as I am also a PC gamer, but that’s an issue on the development side. This is actual people/players doing the dirty and playing/using the game other than as intended.

          Reply

          • Kromas Ryder

            February 6, 2017 at 10:37

            We get a ton of jokes our way so the main point is we are having a laugh at console gamers for once. And for the most part it is just joking around. We are by no means biggots as you so elegantly pointed out.

      • Sageville

        February 6, 2017 at 11:41

        Cause the Master Race are dicks.

        I mean even the name “Master Race”…

        Straight outta Trumptown

        Reply

        • Allykhat

          February 6, 2017 at 11:56

          Not all of them though man. There are exceptions. But still… lol

          Reply

  8. ReverendFunk

    February 6, 2017 at 10:57

  9. Skittle

    February 6, 2017 at 11:11

    Thanks for letting me know I can use my keyboard and mouse *thumbs up*

    Reply

  10. Lu

    February 6, 2017 at 11:37

    This is like racing cars, then whining because the guy that beat you can afford a bigger engine. The kb/m adapter is a peripheral, not a hack. Everyone can get one (There was a pretty good one for the same price as an Xbone elite controller last year). If you can’t afford one don’t cry because someone else can.

    Reply

  11. Sageville

    February 6, 2017 at 11:44

    Blizzard need to keep the playing fields level on the consoles. Remove KB/mouse support and you’re golden.

    It’s all on Blizzard.

    Reply

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