Overwatch is a game that has been embraced by both professional and casual gamers due to its unique approach to the team-based shooter genre and its diverse cast of unique characters. Unfortunately, the game, which has done a fantastic job of showcasing diversity and inclusivity, both in its cast and in its player community, is now dealing with the fallout of an Esports pro having an offensive, racist outburst while playing Overwatch on Twitch.
Streamer and Overwatch pro Matt 'Dellor' Vaughn was streaming on Twitch recently when he had an unacceptable vocal outburst in which he shouts the n-word at his opponent over and over again as he complains about what he considers a bad beat from a cheating Widowmaker. One of Vaughn's Twitch viewers managed to capture the episode and has posted the clip.
We won't embed the video here, due to the extremely offensive and upsetting content that it includes, but interested readers can watch the NSFW game clip on YouTube.
As you might expected, both Twitch and the Esports community are not happy with Vaughn. Vaughn's Twitch channel is now closed due to violation of the terms of service. In addition, Toronto Esports is distancing itself from the Overwatch player and terminating his contract with the organization. Here's the statement from Toronto Esports President Ryan Pallett...
"Toronto Esports is an organization built on inclusivity, and we have always had a zero- tolerance policy for any forms of discrimination... Immediately upon learning of the incident, the player was interviewed, admitted to the offense, and was notified that his contract with the organization was being terminated."
The player has announced on Twitter that he is, "done with esports and won't be returning." He also went on to release a longer statement in which he attempts to apologize for his actions and explain the circumstances that led up to his outburst.
What do you think about the fallout of Vaughn's racist outburst? Let us know in the comments.
Overwatch is currently available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.