One of the most defining aspects of Overwatch is the Play of the Game feature. It’s probably one of the most satisfying feelings in gaming when you’re play is featured after the match has finished. It has also brought some of the most unintentionally funny videos to the internet with people just straight up dying but still getting Play of the Game. Now 2 years after the game’s release, the feature is finally getting trademarked.
Although details of the trademark have only now come to light, the application was already filed in December 2016, only half a year after the game’s release. The trademark credits two people as the investors, gameplay programmer Keith Miron and designer Geoff Goodman. The patent outlines a lot of information on how the Play of the Game systems select which play to feature in the Play of the Game, in a game where so much is going on every single second.
For instance, the sharpshooter Play of the Game outlines that the main factor is the distance of the shooter relative to the target. However, it also factors in the targets traveling speed, whether they are airborne, whether they are using abilities that make them airborne, whether the shooter is a sniper and many more factors. The Play of the Game system is clearly something that Blizzard has worked extremely hard on and is well-deserving of a trademark.
The trademark also has some clauses that make sure that the Play of the Game can still be shared across the internet so that people can show off their play to whomever it may concern. Furthermore, the trademark indicates that it’s not completely trademarking highlight systems. Many shooters have a kill cam or show the last kill that happens in a match. Blizzard has no problem with these as they don’t consider these systems to be Play of the Game systems. The last kill of a game might not be an important kill at all.
For those interest in reading the full patent, here is the link. It’s not the most easily digestible text ever put on paper but is certainly an interesting read for those of you who are interested in the more technical side of the feature.
