Season 27 - season start feels good

I'm all for the kinds of housekeeping changes they made this season. All of it needed and some of it much overdue. I wish the call out on anti-cheat had addressed something more important than bot accounts, but I guess we have to appreciate whatever we can get on this front.

Ranked is still crippled with preset drops. Wildcard is still crippled by unlimited and unrepentant speed. Bot Royale is still laboring under the problems created by last season's update. The game in general is still crippled by smurfs. I see very little of what looks to me like overt cheating, but smurfs can give a very strong impression of cheating to a novice player and it's a bad look for the game. Do something about it, Respawn. I will also say that the game is rapidly becoming such a jumble of scan, smoke, speed, and various other abilities that it begins to feel like everyone is cheating, except that they're using dev-built cheats. And I'm not just talking about Wildcard. Although it's obviously worse there than anywhere. And has become deal-breaking. I'm back to trios. Still beset with all its own problems, matchmaking and otherwise.

The changes they made specifically for this season seem to me to fall into two categories. One: more change for the sake of change. Mantle whatevering. Trident gliding. Sure. If it makes some kid feel cool or some master level player get an edge on the competition. Irrelevant to me. Two: nerfing midrange weapons.  They say it's to change up the meta, but it's really to do what they are always doing in this game: penalizing patient or risk-averse players and trying to force everyone to play fast and up close. Giving me even more reasons to quit matches. I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever finish out a match again.

I will give Respawn huge props for the party up feature. Long overdue and I'm glad to hear that it's making for a better experience for some players.