Report: FACEIT is strongly considering implementing Hero Bans as soon as next week
FACEIT has shared their intentions to bring a hero ban system to its Overwatch competitions for both its FACEIT League as well as the Esports World Cup and is currently collecting final feedback before going with the change.
Collecting feedback
Over the last couple of months, FACEIT has been talking to professional Overwatch teams competing in the Overwatch Championship Series as well as its own FACEIT Pro League to collect feedback on various topics. One recurring talking point had been seeking advice for a potential hero ban system, asking how the general concept would be received, and which form it should take.
According to sources who chose to remain anonymous, FACEIT announced to teams yesterday that it would be looking to implement a hero ban system for its FACEIT League that would also apply to the Esports World Cup. While the final call has not been made yet and FACEIT is collecting further feedback, it has also teased the structure of the hero ban system it is looking to implement.
The hero ban system
FACEIT’s current suggestion for the hero ban system as communicated to competitors sees both teams each be able to ban one hero per map. Said ban would only affect the opposing team and each team is not allowed to ban a hero more than once in a series.
Teams are allowed to ban the same hero at the same time, resulting in both teams not being able to pick said hero for the remainder of the map. The higher seed in each series will be the second team to choose the hero they would like to remove from their opponent's choices with the loser of each map receiving said privilege after each subsequent map.
According to a message shared with competitors, FACEIT hopes to “foster greater diversity in competitive Overwatch” with said introduction. The tournament organiser is currently considering putting the system into action starting with the regular season of FACEIT League which could be as early as April 29.
In a statement to GGRecon, a FACEIT spokesperson said: "We’re always looking for new ways to offer players the best experiences on FACEIT. Open discussions with teams and the Overwatch community are essential when considering new features. The Hero Ban is in the exploratory phase, and we have no immediate plans to introduce it on FACEIT."
A Blizzard Entertainment spokesperson stated to GGRecon that they currently have nothing to share on the subject of FACEIT's plans for Hero Bans.
FACEIT had announced its own multi-tiered Overwatch system for teams ranging from hobbyists to professional teams, also offering invite slots to the Esports World Cup as part of its rewards for the best-performing teams in its Masters League.
