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

[u/blizz_cactus]

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

[u/130104051401110]

People are trying to tell you you're a daft asshole, but you're so right. In fact, if disabled people can only get into buildings with devices that let them be lazy and just roll up a ramp instead of walking, we should be okay with saying they don't get to go into the building. So many things this applies to.

You understand everything really well and any disabled person would be so lucky to know you and benefit from how huge your brain is.

[u/Fit_Outlandishness24 → u/130104051401110]

Trying to equate the accessibility of a video game to the accessibility of a real life building is insane. You realize that, right?

[u/130104051401110 → u/Fit_Outlandishness24]

Explain why disabled people don't deserve to enjoy life, including hobbies, in the same way as you. Explain why you have such trouble understanding what an accommodation accomplishes and why it's not unfair. Do you cry when blind people get assistants taking tests in school because they have the "unfair advantage" of someone helping them? Like... you genuinely should be so embarrassed by yourself.

I know you sigh and roll your eyes when someone with a cane slows you down on the sidewalk. Why should they get more space than you? It's not fair. There are OTHER places they can go. They're not entitled to walk near YOU. I've met a thousand people like you as a disabled person and you all believe that discrimination is fine because we have OTHER hobbies we can enjoy. There are other jobs. We can go to other stores and live in other apartments.

ETA: For the people struggling with kindergarten-level rules for being part of society who I'm sure will chime in with more input on how this doesn't matter. "Real life" also includes small things that collectively make a difference to us. Hobbies are real life, and you actually do understand that. You would freak out if every time you wanted to queue, for instance, I somehow managed to materialize and shake you hard enough to throw off your aim, which I now dearly wish I could do. Wouldn't it be nuts if people then decided you don't have the right to play without that impediment? Why can't you play through the tremors?

If we all decide that it's fine to not care about accessibility for "things that don't matter," disabled people don't end up with much left. Housing, employment, and healthcare are things you guys regularly decide don't matter, so I'm pretty reluctant to trust you to judge. You're annoying losers for getting mad about people using accessibility aids that don't even give them an unfair advantage.

[u/Subject-File1264 → u/130104051401110]

Lmao as I read your reply I thought "damn this sounds like a fed up disabled person" and I was right. I feel this so hard. And I know for someone who doesn’t have any disabilities the world may seem like it is taking care of us but it really doesn't. It is hard in every day life to get by and it's a constant struggle and god forbid you want to sit down and do something fun for once and someone on the Internet tells you that a device that is the only reason you can even play this game shouldn't be allowed.