Overwatch 2 beginner’s guide, tips, and tricks

Blizzard’s new free-to-play shooter may seem to be an improvement, but it takes some getting used to.

Overwatch 2 is now out. While it is quite similar to the first game, the fact that it is free to play will undoubtedly draw many people who missed out the first time around. Before you begin the sequel, here are a few useful hints that the tutorial will not tell you.

Whether you’re totally new to Overwatch or haven’t played in years, here are six tips and strategies to bring you up to speed quickly.

DECIDE ON THE BATTLE PASS EARLY

The premium awards for the Overwatch 2 battle pass are presented in the center of the screen, surrounded by new skin versions of Junker Queen, Kiriko, Genji, Sojourn, and D.Va.

Overwatch 2 introduces the battle pass, which includes both a free and a paid track. The premium track contains cosmetics that are not available if you play for free, although you may acquire Kiriko, the new support character, from the battle pass regardless of which route you follow. Paid gamers, on the other hand, will get quick access to Kiriko. (Free players must get the battle pass to level 55.)

In our experience, the battle pass goes quite slowly (even with the 20% higher XP from the premium track), so decide early on if you want to pay $10 in the season or play for free. You may always pick later, but without the 20% XP boost — and without access to the new hero – that’s a lot of time lost.

USE THE PRACTICE RANGE TO CHECK OUT CHARACTERS

Whether you should purchase the battle pass is likely to be determined by two factors: Do you play support? And do you think Kiriko is any good? Fortunately, even if you haven’t unlocked her yet, you may watch her play at the Practice Range for as long as you like.

This is true for all heroes, which will be particularly helpful for new players who are unable to access some of the new characters right away.

FOCUS ON YOUR CHALLENGES

Because the battle pass is such an important aspect of the game, you’ll need to prioritize completing daily and weekly tasks if you want to reach the top rankings and obtain Kiriko or the new Mythic Genji skin. Check in with your daily and weekly challenges on a daily basis so you can concentrate on them throughout your play session. Here’s how to fast level up your battle pass for additional information.

TRY OUT DIFFERENT ROLES AND HEROES

Doomfist, a big guy with a massive mechanical hand, raises a shield in front of him.

Moving away from the battle pass and into the game itself, it’s critical to emphasize the importance of attempting new things – even if it means failing. Overwatch 2 is not your usual shooter or RPG, so just because you choose to play a support or tank position in other games — or just want to concentrate on raw shooting — doesn’t mean you should do the same in Overwatch 2.

When you’re just getting started (or returning to the series), consider queuing for a new role in each match, and start with a hero you’re unfamiliar with. If you’re not having fun, you can always switch, which brings us to…

DON’T BE AFRAID TO SWITCH CHARACTERS MID-MATCH

The option to switch characters mid-match distinguishes Overwatch 2 from other hero-based games such as Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, and even League of Legends. If you’re playing as Reaper and your opponent’s squad is countering you, consider switching to a character like Pharah who can approach the battle from a different perspective.

Even if you’re a good player, you may discover that certain regions of the map suit different characters. Reaper, for example, works well in confined environments with plenty of nooks and crannies to hide in. He does not, however, do as well in more open regions.

Maintain as much flexibility as possible by avoiding digging your heels in.

PLAY THE OBJECTIVE

Overwatch 2 is not a deathmatch shooter, and killing is not the end aim. Instead, killing opponent players is advantageous since it removes them from the game and puts them away from the true goal, allowing your side to advance.

Focus on your job first and foremost whether you’re a tank or healer. It makes no difference whether you win a battle versus Sombra as Zenyatta if you forget to utilize your ultimate and mistakenly kill your team. Even damage dealers must prioritize the Payload above just removing opponent pieces from the board.

Play intelligently and around the goal, and you’ll be able to win far more easily than if you approach every round as a Team Deathmatch.