Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Overwatch Is Getting ‘High Bandwidth’ 63Hz Tick Rate For All Modes On PC
Back in June, just a couple of weeks after Overwatch launched, Blizzard started tinkering with the game. One of the big experiments was offering an option in custom matches to up the tick rate (refresh rate) to 60Hz on the client side to match the server performance.
At the time, Blizzard said that if the test was a success, it would consider implementing it for all game types. Starting today, Blizzard is rolling out high bandwidth for all modes and regions. This will increase the refresh rate from 21 updates per second to 63.
It’s going to take sometime for the worldwide rollout, so look for things to get more responsive in-game over the next few weeks. Also, don’t worry if your connection can’t keep up. Blizzard has figured out a way to auto-regulate if things seem to be bogging down.
Down the line, Blizzard anticipates adding a way to self-limit. That way, if you know your internet connection can’t keep up, you can ensure that you don’t even attempt to run at the faster client-side refresh rate.
The high bandwidth update is confirmed for PC. Blizzard is exploring whether it can bring it to console.
[Source: Blizzard]
Our Take
I’m curious to see how this impacts the experience. Given that the servers aren’t changing and it’s just an appearance issue, it shouldn’t alter how people play. Otherwise, implementing this kind of change in quick play and competitive modes would create an unbalanced playing field.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
