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How to play Overwatch
Two teams, one objective, a roster of heroes to choose from. That is the whole game. Here is how it fits together.
A match, step by step
- 1 · Choose a hero
- Before the match starts you pick a hero from your role. You can change later.
- 2 · Leave spawn together
- Everyone starts in a safe room. Walk out with your team rather than sprinting alone.
- 3 · Fight around the objective
- The map tells you what to do: hold a point, escort a payload, push a robot. See modes explained.
- 4 · Use abilities and your ultimate
- Every hero has a few abilities on cooldown and a powerful ultimate that charges as you play.
- 5 · Die, respawn, regroup
- When a fight is lost, wait for teammates instead of trickling in one by one.
- 6 · Win or lose, then queue again
- Matches are short. One loss teaches you more than you think.
The three roles in one glance
Abilities and ultimates
Every hero has a weapon, a few abilities that recharge on a cooldown, and an ultimate: a powerful move that charges up as you deal damage, heal or help. Read your hero's abilities in the hero screen before your first match, then check what your ultimate does. Knowing your own ultimate matters more than knowing everyone else's.
Perks in one paragraph
Heroes can unlock perks during a match: a minor perk at level 2 and a major perk at level 3, each with two options. Perks are match-only upgrades, they level up on their own as you play, and they reset if you switch heroes. Pick whichever sounds useful and move on; you can't break anything.
Source: Blizzard hero pagesDid I Throw?
Upload your final scoreboard and see a plain-English read of how your match went.
Common questions
Do I need to be good at shooters to enjoy Overwatch?
No. Overwatch has heroes that do not rely on precise aim, and matches are decided far more by teamwork and objective play than by mechanical skill.
Can I change hero in the middle of a match?
Yes. Switching is normal and encouraged. Go back to the spawn room, pick another hero and rejoin. Note that some hero-specific progress, such as perks, resets when you switch.
What happens when I die?
You wait a few seconds and respawn at your team spawn. Use that time to check whether your hero is still the right pick.