Overwatch's Competitive Play mode going back in development

Blizzard has disabled Overwatch's Competitive Play mode, director Jeff Kaplan wrote in a forum post. The open beta, available now in Early Access for some and on May 5 for everyone else, will not include the feature, he said.

That's so Blizzard can "rework the system and make it better," Kaplan said. Feedback from testers who participated in Overwatch's closed beta will be taken into account, with Blizzard planning to reintroduce the mode after the full game launches.

Competitive Play debuted just shy of a month ago as part of Overwatch's latest closed beta. In its initial release, the tier-based mode encouraged more experienced players to advance up the ranks, earning points as they take on other players.

Five tiers, from challenger to heroic, offered players the chance to prove their skills in the hero-based shooter. Once Overwatch players reached the top tier, they could take a look at their worldwide standings.

How Overwatch's Competitive Play mode will change remains to be seen until after its full launch. Blizzard will release the game PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One on May 24. The open beta runs until May 9.

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