Overwatch: Aspen Hits Rank 1 in Competitive Play

Prominent Overwatch streamer Becca 'Aspen' Rukavina has reached the top of the competitive ladder. After plenty of matches, the player has become the number 1 support player in ranked Overwatch.

The core of Blizzard's first-person team shooter relies on fast-paced PvP action between two teams of 6. For those who want to show off their ability, Overwatch's competitive mode matchmaking places competitors based on a skill rating. Of the 6 players, Aspen fell into the support category, which involves heroes that heal and buff allies. Though this role relies heavily on the team, the streamer managed to make it to the top.

A few days back, Aspen revealed on Twitter that she had gotten to rank one for Overwatch, the highest available. When it was all said and done, her skill rating was 4704, a huge step up from the average player level of around 2500. Afterward, a series of other pro players took to the web to congratulate Aspen. From Linkzr of the Vancouver Titans to professional league casters like Custa, the streamer saw a lot of praise for her achievement.

Of course, many followers were interested in how exactly Aspen managed to get all the way to the top spot. Some thought Mercy, possibly due to her versatility, but the player specified Baptiste and Lucio as the go-to heroes. This is because both facilitate the meta-strategy, rush, which sees a speed-boosted Reinhardt running in to crush the enemy team quickly. With old methods like GOATs now impossible, alternative characters like Baptiste seem to be key to reaching a high rank. Though unsurprisingly, Aspen also emphasizes that players looking to climb should avoid getting angry and communicate with allies.

With Overwatch being a 5 year old game, it is great to see some change in the ranks. As veterans retire or move on to other titles, new players can rise to the top and gain acclaim. But even in this situation, it sounds like Aspen has a mindset that is deserving of the top rank. Not only is she willing to try out innovative, rather than previously dominant strategies, but she believes in a positive attitude and working as a team. Due to the game's three roles, working together like a well-oiled machine and picking the best Overwatch support heroes is imperative if aiming to rise up.

While the position was earned, there is no telling how long Aspen will hold the title. Since Overwatch still brings in a big audience of players, many of them will be constantly working to reach the top. Nevertheless, those interested in the competitive scene should be checking out Aspen due to her top-ranking skills.

Overwatch fans have been waiting for Overwatch 2 updates for a long time, and many expected BlizzConline 2021 to be the game's moment. Although not as much was revealed at the conference as fans hoped, there were still a fair few details revealed about the game's PvE experiences. Overwatch 2 promises to be a significant departure from the first game as a more narrative-focused experience with a significant story mode. However, at its core, Overwatch will always be known for the PvP that Blizzard built the game's brand on. Blizzard didn't explore the PvP in Overwatch 2 extensively, and fans are already speculating about some major changes.