Do mouse-and-keyboard gamers on consoles have an advantage against controller players? Overwatch 2’s devs think so, and will permanently ban accounts that are ‘ximming.’
Overwatch 2 will permanently ban player accounts that use « unapproved peripherals » on consoles like Xbox or PlayStation, the game’s developers announced this week.
In a blog post, Overwatch Senior Game Producer Adam Massey and Lead Gameplay Engineer Daniel Razza detailed their objections to console players who don’t use controllers.
« Some players on console have been using devices that allow them to use a mouse and keyboard while tricking the console into thinking that the inputs are coming from a controller, » Massey and Razza explain. « While some use different peripherals for accessibility purposes, some players take advantage of aim assist while using peripherals that were never intended to benefit from this feature. »
The developers note that figuring out who actually uses what type of input device on consoles has been difficult, and some consoles even have what they call « anti-detection features. »
Playing a video game with a mouse and keyboard to take advantage of consoles’ aim assist features is also known among gamers as « ximming » because this can be achieved with a XIM device that allows consoles or PCs to support multiple input types. Other converters, like the ReaSnow S1 or Cronus Zen, also exist.
In a TikTok video uploaded in October, the Overwatch influencer known as « Flats, » who has achieved a Top 500-rank in the game, reviews one Overwatch 2 player’s aim and movement and ultimately accuses the unknown player of « ximming.
