Now that Overwatch 2 is out and Season 1 of Competitive is underway, here’s my Overwatch 2 tier list to help guide you through the ranking, accessibility, and placement within the current meta.
A new tier list will be added for each additional season of competitive play in Overwatch 2.
The below has a simple ranking overall next to each hero, as well as their class — Support, DPS, Tank — and their “Ease Ranking”, which is essentially how easy or hard they are to play with.
- Easy: This hero is great for newcomers to Overwatch 2, and can be quickly and easily learned.
- Average: This hero has some challenges and a bit of a learning curve, but is still mostly accessible with a simple kit
- Moderate: This hero has a high ceiling, is accessible, but difficult to master
- Difficult: This hero has a complex kit that takes time, patience and practice to master and be good at
Overwatch 2 Season 1 Meta
The Season 1 meta in Overwatch 2 is not all that difficult to the first Overwatch season 1 meta back in 2016. High, quick damage, pace, mobility, and agility are now the key to success. This has been driven by the removal of a tank of team structure, which removes a shield and gives DPS heroes like Genji (No.6 overall), Tracer (10), Soldier (11) and Echo (12) a strong place from a Damage perspective.
It’s a Support-heavy meta, as the likes of Kiriko (5), Baptiste (9), Zenyatta (7), Brigitte (8), and Lucio (1) all play important roles, relative to the tank being used. Winston (2) is best suited to Zenyatta for his orbs and Lucio for his speed boost, whereas the likes of Sigma (3) and Zarya (4) benefit more from stay-home Supports like Kiriko, who enters the fold at a high rank in her first season.
What are your thoughts on the below ranking and meta? How can it be changed? Sound off in the comments below!
| Hero | Ranking | Class | Ease Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucio | 1 | Support | Difficult |
| Winston | 2 | Tank | Moderate |
| Sigma | 3 | Tank | Difficult |
| Zarya | 4 | Tank | Moderate |
| Kiriko | 5 | Support | Moderate |
| Genji | 6 | DPS | Average |
| Zenyatta | 7 | Support | Average |
| Brigitte | 8 | Support | Average |
| Baptiste | 9 | Support | Average |
| Tracer | 10 | DPS | Easy |
| Soldier | 11 | DPS | Easy |
| Echo | 12 | DPS | Average |
| Reinhardt | 13 | Tank | Easy |
| Roadhog | 14 | Tank | Average |
| Orisa | 15 | Tank | Average |
| Dva | 16 | Tank | Easy |
| Wrecking Ball | 17 | Tank | Moderate |
| Reaper | 18 | DPS | Easy |
| Ashe | 19 | DPS | Moderate |
| Soujourn | 20 | DPS | Moderate |
| Sombra | 21 | DPS | Difficult |
| Ana | 22 | Support | Difficult |
| Mei | 23 | DPS | Easy |
| Cassidy | 24 | DPS | Moderate |
| Torbjorn | 25 | DPS | Easy |
| Hanzo | 26 | DPS | Average |
| Pharah | 27 | DPS | Average |
| Junkrat | 28 | DPS | Easy |
| Bastion | 29 | DPS | Easy |
| Mercy | 30 | Support | Average |
| Moira | 31 | Support | Easy |
| Windowmaker | 32 | DPS | Moderate |
| Junker Queen | 33 | Tank | Average |
| Doomfist | 34 | Tank | Difficult |
| Symmetra | 35 | DPS | Easy |
actual player
Sunday 23rd of October 2022
This tier list is such an absolute ass-backwards disaster, it's not even worth revising. Just bin the whole thing immediately. You have obviously never touched the game, current or previous. Winston on Moderate and Tracer on Easy is the quickest invalidation of the entire list, which isn't even worth half a glance. "Stay-home" supports like Kiriko? You mean the Kiriko who has a semi-global teleport through all obstacles? Put another trash article like this out and I'm coming to take your job.
KZT^32
Tuesday 11th of October 2022
There's a bit to unpack here. It's not terrible but I'd argue many of the tanks and supports could be swapped around with some of the DPS.
For one, Genji should be top five easily, he's basically unbeatable if played right in the current meta.
I also do not understand the obsession with Winston. Is it the pro scene and streamers that keep putting him atop the meta in Overwatch? If he has poor support, which he almost always does in solo-queue, he is just another squishy. Useless with Kiriko, and Lucio often can't keep up if the Winston is diving. The only viable support for Winston is maybe Mercy.
Honest given how strong Lucio and Kiriko are atm, there only viable tanks are Reinhardt, Zarya and Sigma. I'd normally include Orisa in that but her Ultimate is utterly useless.
As for the rest, well it's completely subjective, I think you've got the balance right mostly but it's way too tank-heavy at the top there.
Chico
Tuesday 11th of October 2022
Swap Doomfist and Baptiste.