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Overwatch 2 is finally out after a long and rocky development. With the game now free to play, Blizzard's competitive FPS franchise is likely to pull more newcomers into the game, and many might find themselves completely confused as to what is going on and how they should play.
The good news is that Overwatch 2 has changed into a fast-paced game from Overwatch 1, which means that there is less need for strategic planning and fine-tuning, and more space for those mechanically skilled and risky solo-carry plays. Here's what beginners will need to know about Overwatch 2 if they have never played the original Overwatch.
8 Start With Mechanically Easy Heroes
This first piece of advice is a no-brainer for most people familiar with competitive hero-based games. Beginners should always start with somewhat easy heroes just so they can stand a chance in a regular game. Some easy heroes include Moira, Mercy, Soldier 76, and Reinhardt. These heroes are somewhat forgiving gameplay and decent survivability.
Once players begin to understand what the game is all about, they can expand their hero pool. It's generally not advised to just learn and hone a single hero, but rather specialize into a category of heroes. Tanks, supports and DPS heroes all have different jobs, and playstyles and since Overwatch 2 they also have passives that can help them survive longer.
7 Have The Right Team Composition For The Job
Speaking of heroes, team compositions in Overwatch 2 remain quite important. Having the right combination of characters on a team, with players who somewhat know what they are doing, is a massive advantage. Many heroes have intrinsic synergies with one another, and it's vital to take advantage of that.
Certain heroes will still counter others, so be sure to pick heroes that can not only support the other heroes in the team but who can also punish heroes on the enemy's team. For example, if the team has a Genji, which is a strong DPS right now, players can support him by going Ana to combo ultimates. A long-range DPS might benefit from a Mercy pocket. If the DPS heroes on the team are very mobile and like to go in, tank players can choose D.Va or Winston so they can also jump in easily.
6 Understand The Map
One of the longest grinds ahead for new players is getting familiar with all the maps and their nooks and crannies. Overwatch 2's maps feel quite big given the game is faster-paced now, but they provide tons of great high ground locations and rotation routes for teams.
For DPS players in particular and heroes with longer range, it's vital to know those safe spots that have great sightlines but also cover to go into in case the enemy focuses them. The best way to the objective isn't always to walk down the main route. In fact, in the grand majority of situations, it never is the best route, so take a walk through the maps and soak them in while enjoying Quick Play.
5 Understand The Game Mode
Another learning curve will be getting used to the various game modes in Overwatch 2. In competitive and quick play, players can expect to be queued into the following game modes:
- Push: A new game mode for OW2, where players need to escort a robot. The team with the furthest progress at the end of the match time wins.
- Escort: Players must either escort a payload or stop the enemy from escorting the payload through the map. There are two checkpoints that extend the match. If the attacking team escorts the payload to the finish line, they win.
- Control: Players must capture a point and hold it until it reaches 100% capture progress. Once the point is captured, players don't need to stand on it, unless the enemy steps on the point. The winning team is the one that reaches 100% capture progress first. There are three rounds in Control, and the best out of three wins.
- Hybrid: A mix of control and payload, players first need to attack a capture point defended by the other team. Once the point is captured, a payload will spawn which must be escorted to the finish line. The attacking team wins if the payload reaches the final location.
These descriptions might still be convoluted, so the best way to learn is to simply play the game. The game mode is purely map-dependent, so if players queue up to King's Row, they know they will always play a Hybrid match.
4 Practice Good Positioning And Movement
One of the biggest changes in Overwatch 2 is the lower TTK (time to kill). This means that in most fights, players won't be able to tank a ton of damage due to the lack of a second tank and the vulnerability of their supports. For new players, this shouldn't be a big issue, since they'll learn the new gameplay intrinsically and quickly.
Having excellent positioning and good movement is absolutely crucial in Overwatch 2. This means ensuring that players always have an exit to retreat to, that they can see their team or the enemy but still have decent cover, and that they aren't standing out in the open taking damage from snipers or the enemy team's tank. Crouch-spamming and ADS-ing are all helpful techniques to throw off enemies.
3 Avoid Staggering And Try To Group Up
Overwatch 2 is still a team game, even though compared to its predecessor, it does reward solo effort more easily. Players will still need to rely quite a bit on their team's performance, and will only ever be as good as their team is. This means going in and getting a few kills while their team is dead doesn't usually yield any benefit.
It's much better to group up quickly after a lost team fight than to try and fight back against an overwhelming opponent and potentially stagger. Numbers will always be a massive advantage in the game, so make sure to only engage when the full team has returned and everyone (or at least the most important heroes and their abilities) can contribute to the next fight.
2 Communication Is The Best Way To Win
Since teamwork is so important, communication is key. Having a microphone and speaking in voice chat is the best way to go about it if players can handle the potential salty language of some players in a competitive environment.
However, luckily, Overwatch 2 now also has a ping system, which is extremely helpful for players who don't feel comfortable talking to strangers. This allows players to tag enemies they might spot or just provide basic communications.
Moreover, players can customize their communication wheel to their liking from a few options in the Settings menu, from "Group Up" to "Go In" and everything in-between. Take advantage of these features, as knowledge is power in this game, and a flank that doesn't get communicated could spell doom for the entire team.
1 Be Aware Of Enemy Cooldowns And Ultimates
Once players feel mechanically a bit more at ease with Overwatch 2 and have a couple of maps under their belts, they should go through the entire roster as it unlocks to try all heroes. This will allow them to become better acquainted with each hero and their abilities and ultimates.
Every hero's ability cooldowns and ultimate charge rates are different, and the greatest skill for a mechanically average player to have is to track the enemy's cooldown usage and ultimate usage seamlessly. This takes a lot of practice to perfect, but the earlier players start, the better they will become in the long run.
Not only will players have the advantage of knowing exactly how to engage in the next fight based on what abilities and ultimates the enemy has, but they can also more consistently win duels against enemy heroes based simply on their cooldown usage.
Overwatch 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.