This article is part of a directory: Overwatch 2: Complete Guide to Heroes (And Other Tips and Tricks)
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Few heroes have had the ups and downs that Winston has had. Back when duplicate heroes were permitted, two Winston tanks became overpowered. Then when this opportunity was removed, the single Winston plummeted to the bottom of the tank charts. So where is he now in Overwatch 2?

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The good news is that Winston is back in a stable place. Overwatch 2 only allows for one tank, meaning that single tank needs to be mobile, which Winston certainly is. He's also perfect for the matches that feel more like deathmatches when players know how to use him.

Playstyle

Overwatch 2 Winston Getting A Team Kill

Winston is a simple tank with a shield, some moderate damage, and a gigantic leap. He's often left off the list of best tanks in the game due to the fact that he doesn't have any particularly deadly ability. But he makes up for this and then some with his utility.

He's quick to capture points, can create loads of mayhem, and then escape safely. With a large, domed shield, Winston can protect his entire team without needing to stick around them. He strongly counters certain hero picks and, on maps with edges, is capable of wiping out teams by himself with his ultimate.

Abilities

Overwatch 2 Winston Punching Moira

Tesla Canon

  • Electric frontal-cone weapon.

New players to the franchise will enjoy Winston's simple and effective primary weapon. It has no secondary fire and isn't particularly hard-hitting, but it cuts through shields and automatically targets enemies in front, so aiming directly at the target isn't particularly important.

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Barrier Projector

  • Deploy a protective energy dome.

The shield dome is not centered on Winston, it's placed directly under his feet. Place it on an objective or an escort to assist the entire team or throw one down after leaping into the fray and contain all enemy fire to this area unless they move.

Jump Pack

  • Leap forward into the air. Landing on an enemy damages them.

Winston's huge mobility move has a moderate cooldown, but it's not so long that he can't use it to land into battle and then use it to escape again. The damage isn't too significant, although it can be an effective last-hit for opponents that survive and are just outside of the Tesla Canon.

Primal Rage

  • Gain immense health, but Winston can only leap and punch enemies.

Winston becomes nearly unkillable (even if he was on death's door before) and can suddenly swing at enemies, knocking them back. On maps with cliffs, this move has the potential to throw multiple players to their graves. It's also perfect for a last stand when enemies need to get to a point; Winston can simply keep them bumped off of it.

Tips & Tricks

Overwatch 2 Winston On The Backlines

Winston mains likely wanted to destroy the original Overwatch because he felt like such a letdown toward the end. With only five opponents, Winston can take just a bit more fire, giving him enough survivability to leap in, set down a shield, create some mayhem, and leap back out. Save that second leap for escaping; dead tanks aren't very effective tanks.

Don't be afraid to wait on Winston's ultimate ability. While most characters are eager to use their ultimates to get the most usage out of it, Winston's is effective except at specific moments. Save it for moments when Winson is about to die or for the end of the match to keep enemies off of the point.

Finally, try to target the backlines instead of the tanks. The purpose of Winston is to create chaos on the backlines; the rest of the tanks are more effective at targeting the front. Winston doesn't need to kill, just to be a distraction so the team can be more effective.

Combos

Overwatch 2 Winston And Reaper Winning In Overtime
  • Zenyatta

As one of the best support heroes, Zenyatta is a healer that doesn't need to put himself into the dangerous situations Winston finds himself in. He can throw the healing orb on the tank as he jumps in, then throw it on him again as he jumps out. Leaping also makes this line of sight easy for Zenyatta.

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  • Hanzo

Winston is a favorite for snipers since he forces the frontlines to turn around, giving them unobstructed headshots. Hanzo is particularly effective because his ultimate is tough to aim, but Winston can smack targets into the dragons as they fly by.

  • Brigitte

Now that the game is down to just one tank, anybody else that can help with the tanking is much appreciated. Brigitte is a rare frontline support, so she'll be able to help Winston create some chaos. Winston usually needs to save his leap cooldown to escape, but he can hang out even longer with Brigitte's assistance.

  • Genji

Backline DPS units are best friends with Winston. These heroes don't often have the luxury of a shield, but he can give them one. Genji's survivability dramatically increases, giving him more opportunities to take out opponents.

  • Reaper

Adding another hero with supreme escaping skills is perfect for Winston. He might not pack a punch, but Reaper does. Either Winston and Reaper wipe out the backlines or escape with ease if the plan goes south, keeping them both alive and ready for the next round.

Advantages & Counters

Overwatch 2 Winston Strength And Weakness

Heroes with stationary units such as Torbjorn and Symmetra will be hard-countered by Winston as he leaps on top of the devices, contains them with a shield, and shatters them with his Tesla Canon. Without an escape, Zenyatta is also quite susceptible to death if Winston gets close. Finally, Winston's attacks penetrate shields, so Reinhardt can't protect his team from Winston's damage.

Players that can bump opponents into danger, like D.Va and Doomfist, create problems for Winston as he can get placed outside of his shield. Mercy is too evasive for him and can outheal any damage he pumps out. Sombra is perhaps the hardest counter to Winston. One hack as he's landing and Winston is likely not going to survive the encounter.

Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.