Overwatch 2 devs reveal which rank has the most ‘toxic’ players and leavers

Michael Gwilliam
junkrat's mugshot in overwatch

The Overwatch 2 devs have finally revealed which ranks have the most “disruptive” and toxic players who are more likely to rage quit matches.

Like many games, Overwatch 2 has its share of toxic players who argue, flame and cause problems for others.

Over the years, the developers have implemented a series of moderation tools to try to fix these issues, but it turns out that certain ranks are far more problematic than others.

Speaking with Twitch streamer Coach Spilo, the game’s Senior Systems Designer Gavin Winter shared some insight into which players cause trouble after collecting data.

“The quantity of players that leave, rage quit games, go AFK, that mentality lends itself to maintaining a lower rank. I remember when I was Silver and Gold, the percentage of games where somebody left, quit, just refused [to play], flamed each other, that was much higher in lower ranks,” the educational content creator said.

“I’m curious to see if that reduces in higher ranks.”

Well, according to the dev, Blizzard was able to determine that the leaver rate is “pretty directly related to rank,” with those in higher ELOs not having to deal with rage quitters as often as those near the bottom of the ladder in Bronze and Silver.

However, when it comes to flaming and toxicity, players in high and low ranks are actually less disruptive. In fact, it’s players in the middle, like Platinum and Diamond, who tend to cause the most trouble.

“Near the middle, that’s where you get more disruptive behavior,” Winter explained. “I’m sure we can all think of our own reasons for why those things might be true. But you know, that’s kind of how it looks.”

Trying to escape ELO hell can be a nightmare for many players, but this recent revelation about which ranks are the most disruptive could come as a bit of a surprise. That said, it’s something players in those middle tiers may want to keep in mind if they’re wondering why their games are far more chaotic.

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