Ban is a term used in esports that means to prohibit a specific character or player from participating in a competitive match. Banning can be done for various reasons, such as to prevent the use of overpowered or unfair characters, to counter the opponent’s strategy, or to punish a player for breaking the rules or behaving poorly. Banning can be done by the game developers, the tournament organizers, or the players themselves, depending on the game and the format.
How Does Banning Work in Esports?
Banning can work differently in different esports games and genres, but generally, there are two types of banning: global banning and draft banning.
Global banning is when a character or a player is banned from all matches in a game or a tournament, regardless of the teams or the modes involved. Global banning is usually done by the game developers or the tournament organizers, who have the authority to decide which characters or players are allowed or not allowed in the game or the tournament. Global banning can be done for various reasons, such as to balance the game, to fix bugs or glitches, to enforce the rules, or to maintain the integrity of the competition.
Draft banning is when a character or a player is banned from a specific match or a series of matches, based on the choices of the teams or the players involved. Draft banning is usually done by the players themselves, who have the opportunity to ban certain characters or players before or during the match or the series. Draft banning can be done for various reasons, such as to prevent the opponent from using their preferred or strongest characters, to counter the opponent’s strategy or playstyle, or to create a favorable or diverse team composition.
Examples of Banning in Esports
Banning is a common feature in many esports games, especially in the MOBA and FPS genres. Here are some examples of banning in popular esports titles:
In League of Legends, a popular MOBA game, draft banning is done in a mode called Draft Pick, which is used for ranked matches and tournaments. In Draft Pick, each team has five bans, which they can use to ban any of the available characters in the game. The bans are done in a turn-based manner, with each team alternating one ban at a time, until all ten bans are used. After the bans are done, the teams proceed to pick their characters from the remaining pool. Draft banning allows the teams to create strategic and diverse team compositions, and to prevent the opponent from using overpowered or favored characters.
In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a popular FPS game, draft banning is done in a mode called Map Veto, which is used for tournaments and professional matches. In Map Veto, each team has a certain number of bans and picks, which they can use to ban or pick any of the available maps in the game. The bans and picks are done in a predetermined order, depending on the format of the match or the series. For example, in a best-of-three series, the order is: Team A bans one map, Team B bans one map, Team A picks one map, Team B picks one map, Team A bans one map, Team B bans one map, and the remaining map is the decider. Map Veto allows the teams to play on the maps that suit their strengths or preferences, and to avoid the maps that favor the opponent or are unfamiliar to them.
In Overwatch, a popular FPS game, global banning is done in a mode called Hero Pools, which is used for competitive matches and tournaments. In Hero Pools, a certain number of characters are randomly banned from the game every week, based on their popularity and usage rates. The banned characters are not available for anyone to play, and the players have to adapt to the changing meta and team compositions. Hero Pools are meant to balance the game, to encourage diversity and creativity, and to prevent the stagnation or domination of certain characters or strategies.
To Sum Up
Banning is a strategy that can affect the outcome of a match or a tournament in esports. By banning, you can limit the options or the potential of the opponent, and create an advantage for yourself or your team. However, banning also requires careful analysis, decision-making, and adaptation, as it can also limit your own options or potential, or expose you to unexpected challenges. Therefore, banning is not a simple or easy feature, but a complex and dynamic one, that can make esports more competitive and diverse.