5 Overwatch 2 beginner tips that will help you win more easily

Getting started with Overwatch 2 isn’t easy. We give 5 tips to get you started, with which you still cut a good figure in the hero shooter.

Overwatch 2 launched a few days ago and after the servers were brought to their knees at the beginning, Blizzard hero shooter can now be played without any problems.

But for many, Overwatch 2 is likely to be their first exposure to a hero shooter, so the mechanics and how-to’s aren’t entirely clear. To that end, here are some tips that should help newcomers in particular, but there might be something that veterans of you may not know.

1. Uses the ping system

Overwatch 2 has a ping system, which is currently used effectively by far too few. With the “G” key (alternatively press the middle mouse button / mouse wheel), you can set a “ping” in the world and thus point to certain places. On the controller, you can find the ping on the left arrow key by default.

The ping system is quite intuitive and marks the locations in a meaningful way. For example, pressing the button directly over an enemy will signal your team that you see an enemy right there. If the enemy has disappeared behind a wall within the last 2 seconds, the ping system will make it clear which enemy you saw here and that it is currently no longer visible.

Likewise, you can also say other things in certain places. If you keep the ping button pressed, a selection menu with many functions appears. For example, you can explain at a bottleneck that you want to get the defense right here.

Especially cool: You can also start a “countdown” to coordinate the exact time of an ambush or joint attack.

It is best to familiarize yourself with the various ping methods so that you can always make the right announcement quickly – even without voice chat.

2. Avoid “trickling” – always work as a group

You can’t always win in Overwatch, and sometimes you lose in group battles. One of the biggest problems with new players is going back into battle in a coordinated manner as a group.

Many make the mistake of charging back into battle one at a time, just like their predecessors and successors. This is referred to as “trickling” – instead of proceeding in a bundle, only individual characters arrive at the battle.

This almost automatically leads to defeat. Because usually the opposing team is at full strength and only has to eliminate a single enemy each time.

It can definitely be worth getting back into the battle quickly if there are 3 or 4 other players in the group at the target. But if it is clear that your own team has been wiped out, then use the announcement command “Group Up” (“Collect yourself!”). Wait for all your players to return and then proceed together. This increases your chances of success immensely.

The thought of going in alone as a hero and single-handedly wiping out the opposing team may be tempting, but in practice it will rarely succeed.

3. Force trickling on the opponent

You can use a few tricks to force your opponent to “trickle”. If a group fight has been won, then this is usually already foreseeable before the last enemy falls. At the end there is often a rather smaller and mobile character from the opposing team, which alone poses no real threat.

If that enemy isn’t interfering with your current objective, such as not standing on the control point you’re trying to capture or blocking the robot on push maps – then let him live. Wait a few more seconds and try to count in your mind. When did the rest of the opposing team die? Once you have a rough estimate of when the enemies will respawn, then it’s time to quickly eliminate that single enemy as well.

This forces the enemies into an ugly position and they lose a lot of time. Because either four of them storm back into the fight and are outnumbered, or they wait for the last player to spawn again – and lose valuable seconds on the target object in which their progress is made.

4. Rotate your heroes

Everyone has a favorite hero in all three categories (tank, DPS, support). But this “main” can sometimes simply be the wrong choice. While Blizzard has said goodbye to hard counter heroes in Overwatch 2, there are still heroes and combos that are extremely effective against other heroes.

For example, if Ana and Zenyatta are the two supports on the opposing team, then Roadhog might be the wrong choice as a tank. Because Roadhog works primarily with strong self-healing, which Ana can counter with her anti-healing grenade, while Zenyatta increases the damage suffered by the tank.

Such ugly situations exist for almost all heroes. If you realize that you simply aren’t having success with a certain character, switch through. You can always do this in the spawn room or while you’re dead.

Trying something new is always better than repeating a failed idea endlessly.

Note, however, that you will lose a large part of your ultimate charge.

5. Remain friendly – No matter what

Overwatch 2 is a fast-paced and often frenetic game. But towards your own team you should never lose your temper and always be friendly. When an attack fails, try to think about what you can improve yourself, rather than placing the blame primarily on others.

Of course you can be frustrated if there is no healing for a few seconds. But a Genji that spams “Need Healing” every 2 seconds and maybe escalates in the voice or group chat with “Heal????” certainly does not contribute to a positive gaming experience.

In addition, healers are mostly busy healing three other players and somehow keeping themselves alive.

Healers in particular are currently the least popular role and are chosen by very few players.

Of course you can make suggestions for improvement – but stay friendly. Because after a “Heal me, idiot”, you can usually be sure that you will get a lot – but no healing.

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Do you have any other tips you would recommend for newcomers to Overwatch 2?