New Unranked leaver penalties introduced for Overwatch 2

With the upcoming update for Season 7 of Overwatch 2, Blizzard has now introduced new Unranked leaver penalties. And by new, I mean harsher. Previously, players in Unranked matches who left early a few times would gain less XP in subsequent matches. Now things are a little different.

Unranked leaver penalties for Season 7 Overwatch 2 introduce suspensions

When looking at the Season 7 patch notes for Overwatch 2, there are many new Unranked leaver penalties and changes introduced. In general, leaving four of your last 20 games will result in your first of a possible few penalties resulting in suspensions. Here’s a list of the patch notes being introduced on October 10, 2023:

• 75% XP penalty removed.
• The penalty thresholds have not changed, but the mechanics have also never been completely explained. The last 20 games played a player participated in are recorded. Leaving four of these 20 games activates the first penalty threshold. Leaving six of these 20 games activates the second penalty threshold.
• Queuing for most game modes is now suspended when a player leaves a match inside a penalty threshold.
• Players that reach the first penalty threshold will be suspended for 10 minutes.
• Players that reach the second penalty threshold will be suspended for 30 minutes.
• The queue suspension will reapply each time a player leaves a game when they are above the first penalty threshold but not when they complete their games.
• Consecutive Match XP bonus has been renamed to Endurance Bonus.
• Endurance Bonus is XP granted when finishing matches without leaving the previous match.

Now, there will not be any XP removal. Instead, you’ll be suspended from queueing up into another unranked match if you leave four of your last 20 games, which is 10 minutes long. Then, leaving six of your last 20 games results in a 30 minute suspension. Also, queueing for most game modes is suspended if you leave a match inside a penalty threshold.

Related: Sombra’s ability kit in Overwatch 2 completely reworked for Season 7

Your queue suspension reapplies anytime you leave a game when above the first penalty threshold, but not if you complete games. And now, Blizzard renamed Consecutive Match XP bonus to Endurance Bonus. With Endurance Bonus, you gain XP when you finish matches after not leaving the previous match.

In all honesty, these new rules feel completely fair, and it sounds like they may work for Unranked leavers. This is coming from someone who mostly plays Unranked mode in Overwatch 2, and has to deal with leavers all the time. The XP penalty just wasn’t cutting it, so hopefully this new penalty will stop Unranked leavers.

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Overwatch 2 is available on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.