"Overwatch" players have reported connection errors and denial-of-service. To resolve the issue, Blizzard has revealed the steps to check "Overwatch" DDoS, monitor server status and troubleshoot. It has also confirmed "Overwatch" holiday event that will start on December 13, 2016.
"Overwatch" Update: Servers May Be Down Due To DDoS
Disconnection and latency issues have been reported on "Overwatch" and other Blizzard games. According to Mic, "Overwatch" servers sometimes go down for a short time during a scheduled maintenance or patch update. However, "Overwatch" servers may also be down due to several distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS). This is where hackers intentionally crash servers by flooding it with massive loads of traffic.
"Overwatch" Update: Check Blizzard Customer Support Twitter Account
If players are experiencing "Overwatch" connection errors and denial-of-service, they should check first the Blizzard customer support Twitter account. This is where information about server outages are announced. They can also post individual tweets to ask the Blizzard's customer service for guidance and solutions to connection errors.
For players in Europe, check the Blizzard Customer support Europe twitter account. For players living outside the United States and Europe, they can type Blizzard CS in the Twitter search bar and find for their specific region.
Players can also check Downdetector's page for "Overwatch" status and outage data. This will help players to sort out whether the problem is actually with their own computer.
"Overwatch" Update: How To Troubleshoot
According to Blizzard's troubleshooting page, players should retry connecting to the server if the "Overwatch" service is offline. If the "Overwatch" servers are available or if the Service Status page does not appear, players should continue troubleshooting. If gamers can play "Overwatch" but still experience connection errors, they should execute the following steps.
For "Overwatch" players using Windows, they should reset first their user interface to ensure that the add-ons and files are not corrupted. They should reset the network devices to ensure that their router is not flooded with data. They should also release and renew their IP and flush their DNS to resolve conflicts in the network. They must also update their drivers and optimize their wireless internet connection.
To resolve software conflicts, background applications must also be closed. For "Overwatch" players who are using Mac, they should also do similar steps and run software update to renew drivers, firmware, and software.
"Overwatch" Update: Holiday Event Confirmed Next Week
Despite the DDoS attacks, Blizzard has confirmed that "Overwatch" will hold a holiday event that will start on December 13, 2016. According to Playstation Lifestyle, Blizzard has posted on its Twitter account and invited "Overwatch" players to join in the holiday event.
