Have you ever played Overwatch 2 and heard some in-game terminology you didn’t understand?
In this guide, we look at some of the most common things you will encounter when playing Overwatch 2, and what they mean.
1/2/2
The default team composition in Overwatch 2 – One Tank, Two DPS, and Two Supports. However in open queue (Quick Play and Competitive modes) this composition can change in any way that the players would like.
Baby D.Va
When D.Va has been knocked out of her mech and is playing in ‘Pilot’ mode.
Back-cap
When a team pushes the payload or captures an objective behind the enemy team. This generally happens when either side becomes aggressive for a team fight, and gives sufficient room for some players to sneak behind and complete the objective.
Back-line
People who are the furthest away from the action, and behind the rest of the team. Generally, healers remain in the backline to overlook their team, as well as some long-range DPS.
Ball
A colloquial way of referring to Wrecking Ball. He can also be referred to as Hammond, Ham, or Hamster.
Beat
Another way of saying that Lucio used his Sound Barrier – ‘he dropped the beat’.
Beyblade
When Ana Nano-boosts a Reaper that uses his Death Blossom.
Boostio
When Ana nano-boosts Lucio. After the term Boostio became popular amongst players, Blizzard actually got Johnny Cruz (voice actor for Lucio) to record the line to be added into the game when he gets nano-boosted.
Brawl comp
When running a brawl composition, the main objective is to move as a team and close the distance between you and the enemy. This way, you can be aggressive and, if done successfully, push directly through the enemy.
Brig
The colloquial way of referring to Brigitte.
C9
A C9 is where a team fails to touch the payload or objective point, which results in them losing a round, or the entire match. The origins of the name came from the team Cloud9, where in their matches they would regularly make such errors.
Counter-pick
A hero whose abilities can outplay an enemy, and prevent them from causing too many problems for your team. There are several counter-pick matchups, including: Pharah and Soldier-76, and Tracer and Cassidy.
Comp
In Overwatch, comp can have 2 meanings:
1. A way of referring to the competitive mode
2. Short for composition – the mix of heroes that are picked by the team for the match
Crowd Control
Crowd control is essentially any ability that can stop an opponent’s movement. The most notable abilities are – Cassidy’s Flashbang, Roadhog’s Hook, and Orisa’s Halt or Javelin.
Diff
Short for ‘difference’, diff is used when a player is underperforming in a role in comparison to the enemy in the same role. For example, if the enemy Reinhardt is doing a lot better than your Reinhardt, someone may say ‘Tank diff’.
Dive
Dive is used in relation to the dive team composition – where a team has a Winston, D.Va, or Hammond and two flankers. The aim of this composition is to dive straight into the enemy and be aggressive, and is one of the most common comps used in Overwatch 2.
DPS
Meaning ‘Damage Per Second’ in standard gaming terms, the DPS of the team are basically your main damage dealers. They can either deal burst damage – where you can give out high amounts of damage in a short period of time, or sustained damage – where you deal damage over a longer period of time.
Dry Push
When a team does an aggressive attack on their enemy, and forces the other team to use vital abilities and ultimates to protect themselves. This gives the attacking team a major advantage as they do not have to face these abilities for a small period once used.
Eat
When D.Va uses her Defence Matrix to block or ‘eat’ projectile damage and ultimate’s. The most common things that get eaten are Zarya’s Graviton Surge, Mei’s Blizzard and Reinhardt’s Flamestrike. This can also be used in relation to Sigma and his Kinetic Grasp – which has the same functionality as the Matrix.
Field
A reference to Baptiste’s ‘Immortality Field’ ability. Generally, callouts saying ‘field’ will be made when a Baptiste uses this ability.
Fill
When a player announces to the team that they are happy to take on any of the three roles that have not yet been filled. This is mainly only applicable to Open Queue modes, or No Limits.
Flux
The shortened ways of saying ‘Gravitic Flux’ – which is Sigma’s ultimate ability.
Frog
The colloquial way of referring to Lucio.
Grav
Shorter way of saying Graviton Surge, which is Zarya’s ultimate ability.
Grav Dragon
When Zarya uses her Graviton Surge and Hanzo sends Dragonstrike into the enemies trapped into the grav.
Hitscan
A character whose primary damage requires no travel time before it can hit an opponent – i.e Cassidy, Soldier-76, Tracer. Generally people will play hitscan heroes to counter flying enemies like Pharah and Echo.
IGL
IGL is the abbreviation of In-Game-Leader – so the person who is calling the shots for the whole team and making more thought out decisions for gameplay. You generally only have an IGL when you play as a group, but some people can step up in matches with randoms.
Meta
Team compositions and hero choices that are considered the best choices in that patch version of the game. For example, dive and brawl compositions can be meta.
MIT
Shortened version of saying Mitigate, which means how much damage a player has blocked. These figures can be found in-game by bringing up the leader board, and checking the column on the far right labelled MIT.
Monkey
A colloquial way of referring to Winston. He is also commonly referred to as ‘Monke’. ‘Winton’ is also a popular term to use at the moment.
Nano Blade
When Ana Nano-boosts Genji as he uses his Dragon Blade
Pick
In Overwatch, pick can have two different meanings depending on the context.
1. An elimination on the enemy team that opens up space for a team fight
2. A choice of hero to suit the team composition (picks)
When a support hero continuously buffs or heals one ally.
Push
The newest game mode where both teams have to try and gain control of a robot, and push their barrier the furthest before the time runs out. This mode replaced 2CP maps from the original Overwatch.
Queen / JQ
A colloquial way to refer to Junker Queen.
Ram
Colloquial way of referring to Ramattra.
Rein
The colloquial way to refer to Reinhardt.
Slide
Colloquial way of referring to Sojourn’s Power Slide.
Spam Comp
In this spam composition, you essentially use multiple angles around the enemy to take control of the map, and use more long-range abilities to force the enemies to use their crucial abilities. By burning out their abilities, by the time you get to pushing through to the point, they have nothing left to help them take you down.
Spawn Camp
Spawn-camping is where the defending team pushes their enemy back and keeps them locked in position near their spawn. This is very aggressive, and if you are spawn-camped it is difficult to get out of that position and back to the objective.
Squish
When D.Va gets a kill with her ‘Call Mech’ ability.
Stagger
If you were to kill someone on the enemy team a little bit after another enemy goes down, you can prevent them from being able to reset together as a team. This is called staggering, and gives you the advantage of wasting enemy time by ensuring they have to wait for others before they can push again.
Support
The protectors of your team. They work to heal the entire team, but can also have abilities that can provide ally buffs, and enemy nerfs (I.E Ana’s Nano-Boost Vs her Anti-Nade).
Tank
Larger and powerful heroes who can absorb a lot of damage for their team. Generally, tanks have a shield ability which allows them to protect their teammates, and push forward to make space for allies to attack.
Tier
Refers to the new competitive system, in which players are now placed in a numbered tier (1-5) in their rank to determine their ability. For example, you can be a Gold 1 player, which means you are at the top of the Gold rank.
Torb
The colloquial way of referring to Torbjorn.
Trade
When your team gets an elimination, but your opponents also get one immediately after. You are basically trading a player for a player, which is where the name comes from.
Trans
Colloquial way of referring to Zenyatta’s Transcendence.
Ult
The colloquial way of saying ‘ultimate’. Callouts will generally be things like ‘I have ult’ or ‘they have ult’.
Widow
The colloquial way of referring to Widowmaker.
Winnable
When a member of your team calls out ‘winnable’ they are basically telling you not to give up hope. Having someone say this on your team should mean you all rally together and focus to try and win the teamfight. Always follow what someone says if it is looking promising.
Zen
The colloquial way of referring to Zenyatta.
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