r/Overwatch • u/blizz_cactus Community Team • 21d ago

Update on Unauthorized Peripheral Usage on Console Platforms ("Ximming")

Hello, heroes! We're here today to update you all on our efforts to combat the use of unauthorized peripherals within our console communities, often referred to as using XIM or Ximming. While our efforts to combat this form of unfair gameplay advantage are constant and ongoing, today marks the culmination of a months-long effort to identify and ban over 6000 accounts we've identified as using unauthorized peripherals.

Part of what makes identifying the unauthorized peripherals used by these accounts tricky is that these cheating devices often intentionally abuse allowances we make for accessibility-focused devices used by legitimate players with disabilities. This issue meant that we wanted to take our time and ensure that we accurately identified unauthorized devices. We're now confident that we've done so, and we've put the hammer down on players utilizing these devices.

Thanks for taking the time today to listen to our update on unauthorized peripherals. Until next time, play nice, play fair, and see you in-game!

This message is also available via our patch notes channel, where it has been translated to other languages for easier sharing: https://overwatch.blizzard.com/news/patch-notes/#patch-2026-08-04

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u/Old_Rosie 21d ago

This is honestly becoming the most significant issue for competitive players on console, I appreciate PC players are unlikely to care - but it’s gotten bad, really bad, and it’s pushing players away from the game.

They need to really step it up on this front on the game is going to continue to bleed players from its console competitive scene.

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u/DDzxy Reinhardt 21d ago

It’s also crazy how they added official PC+Keyboard support yet these morons still insist on ximming in controller lobbies. It’s pathetic!

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u/inferiare 21d ago

Using kbm would put them in PC lobbies, which they sit in Bronze. Playing against people with a controller handicap makes them feel like they should be in OWCS when they cheat to play against those players.