With several levels to climb in the Overwatch endorsement ladder, exactly how many do you need to level up? And how should you act if you’re trying to be endorsed? We answer that, and much more, below.
What are endorsements, and how can I earn them?
Unlike the voting cards you’ll see at the end of a standard Overwatch match that measure technical skill (like a 10-player kill streak), endorsements are given to those that are helpful, play the objective, provide support and are generally friendly. Endorsements are broken up into three categories:
Sportsmanship: The endorsement for being an all-around positive, respectful and friendly player, and also the only endorsement you can award to the enemy team (if you desire).Good teammate: This is awarded to those that stick to their roles, communicate well and sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the team.Shot Caller: This is the endorsement given to those that take control and lead the team well during matches. While it’s not always the person with a mic, they can be quicker to respond and give more personalised, effective instructions.
You want to earn endorsements? Aim to be one of those players mentioned above – if not a combination of all three. It’s also key that you don’t leave the match before it’s over, as endorsements are only awarded to those that stayed until the end. You can quit and queue for another match once the end-screen begins at the end of your match and still be awarded endorsements, but not before.
How many endorsements do I need to level up?
The real question is “how many do you need to level up?” and sadly, there’s no specific answer. Blizzard hasn’t released any information on the rankings and how many endorsements are required to level up. There’s not even a progress bar to show you how close you are to levelling up, because, in our opinion, Blizzard doesn’t want to gamify good behaviour. The idea is that the community as a whole will become a friendlier place, and that everyone will level up over time. We say ‘over time’ because, frankly, you need many endorsements just to go up a single level. Oh, and if you’re looking to climb that endorsement ladder, you’d better not lose your temper, quit mid-match or generally be a bad teammate. While your endorsement level goes up slowly, getting negative feedback from gamers you’ve played with can severely impact your overall level and squash any hope of ranking up.
What do I get for being endorsed?
According to Blizzard, being endorsed will provide you with better queues in the ‘Looking for Group’ section. You’ll be able to customise the parameters for the match you’re looking for (competitive, quick play, etc) and even specify roles you want to play. The company has also teased that those who are positively endorsed can look forward to occasional rewards, but there’s no information as to what shape or form those rewards may appear just yet.
What is the maximum endorsement level?
The endorsement level is currently capped at level 5, but don’t get comfortable once you get there. As well as losing ranking by getting negative feedback from other players, your rank will deteriorate over time if you don’t continue to be a good player and receive endorsements. It’s a tough job being a well-liked player in Overwatch! Lewis Painter is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor. Our resident Apple expert, Lewis covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware. You’ll also find him on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.
