The trial started alongside the Season 3 quarterfinals on December 28th and will continue until the round’s end on January 12th. After that, the Contenders team will study the “overall effect” of the test run on positivity in the channel.

This lightens the moderation load for Blizzard, of course, but it could also play an important part in Blizzard’s effort to take Overwatch esports into the mainstream. A more professional atmosphere could help it obtain a wider audience (not to mention big-name advertising) that might be put off by toxic activity.