Skip to main content

Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

He's done it! He's reached level 1800 in Overwatch

I'm only level 76.

He's done it! Maxime the Frenchman on a mission to reach level 1800 in Overwatch before anyone else has done it. He's unlocked the golden portrait frame with five golden stars. It's the final portrait frame in the game.

He is better known by his alias Tazzerk. I spoke to him in September when he had reached level 1000, again before anyone else. He told me 1800 was his goal and by jove he's a man of his word. He announced his achievement on Twitter.

There have been sightings of Overwatch accounts at higher levels in Asia but Maxime believes they are played by multiple people. It's implausible anyone could spend more than the 16-17 hours a day playing Overwatch he does, he believes. Someone could be slightly ahead, or close behind, but far in advance? Nope, he's not buying it.

Maxime tells me his next challenge will be to make the top 500 during season three of Competitive Play, which begins this Thursday, 1st December. I wonder what he'll do if Blizzard introduces more portrait frames - will his work begin in earnest again? Currently the frames only go as far as gold, after all, and Blizzard uses platinum, diamond and animated icons elsewhere in Overwatch for Competitive Play.

Watch on YouTube

Overwatch is a hive of activity at the moment. Sombra and Arcade mode were introduced to Overwatch recently, and significant Symmetra changes are currently in testing - maybe due on live servers later today.