Blizzard increases tick rate in all Overwatch game modes from 21 to 63 Hertz

Blizzard will increase the tick rate of all Overwatch game modes from 21 to 63 Hertz. This should ensure that both incoming and outgoing multiplayer data such as movements and fired shots are transferred more quickly, resulting in a game that is faster and therefore more responsive.

Blizzard community manager Lylirra announces the decision on the Overwatch forum. The function was already available as a beta in so-called custom games, but is now being introduced in all game modes, including quick play and competitive play. While the feature is initially optional, it will eventually be enabled by default in all game modes. The feature is now being implemented on the Windows version of Overwatch, and Blizzard says it is investigating whether this is also possible for the console versions.

An increased tick rate should prevent cases of ‘a bull’s eye on my screen, but completely wrong according to the server’. Tinkering with tick rates is nothing new. For example, this variable was already adjustable on Counter-Strike, the original Mod for Half-Life. More modern games such as Battlefield 4 now offer a choice of tick rates ranging from 30 to 144 Hertz.

The increased tick rate logically consumes more bandwidth. Therefore, the frequency will be automatically adjusted downwards if the game detects that the player’s connection is deficient. The developer is also considering adding an option that allows users to manually set their tick rate. This could potentially cause discrepancies between players and servers, and Blizzard won’t go into detail about this.