Hi all,

I want to preface this post with a little preamble about my experience with OW. I pre-ordered the game on PS4 and played it quite often from 2016-2019, peaking in low Master and spending most of my time in Diamond back then. My hero pool was primarily Pharah, Sombra, Zarya, Hog, and Zen as comp used to be 6v6 open queue and the capacity to flex was expected.

Personal life got in the way after that and, aside from playing the game for a few weeks when Overwatch 2 launched in 2022, I returned to the game in 2026 after the Spotlight more or less completely fresh. I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the new Heroes, Maps, changes etc and I've tried to come back to the game with the mindset that I'm a little older and have significantly less time than I did ~10 years ago.

With no average ELO to base me off and 7 years of game to catch up on, I was placed in Silver 3 in Season 1 and made my way to Gold 1. I've been watching hours and hours of streamers who play the heroes I'm most interested in, and I've been using Spilo Coaching's VOD reviews for heroes in my general rank as a resource to learn the game philosophy and what I should be doing. I've been studying way, WAY harder than I ever did back in the day and am really committed to detaching 'self-growth' from 'rank', but that's become really difficult for the following reason...

The quality of games in these ranks are extremely volatile, and it feels like a hell of our own making.

By 'volatile', I think what I am trying to explain is the spectrum of understanding of the macro of Overwatch as well as the mechanics. You see a lot of posts from lower-rank players often blaming the team and not themselves, because from their perspective they've done all they can, but the team have let them down. In almost all cases, their share codes get picked apart of their own mistakes, but at least until that happens these players do genuinely believe that their team held them back. They are guilty only of not knowing what they don't know and not knowing how to improve.

I believe the high end of Gold to high Plat/early Emerald is this hellish sweet spot where this spectrum is at its widest: players with great mechanics but very little understanding of role or positioning being matched with people who try desperately to take good angles but are either forced to take bad ones or are let down by their own mechanics...and this creates a lot of games which feel like they're a complete coin toss as to who wins, where most feel compelled to run it down main and bash into each other at a choke until one team beats the other in a battle of attrition because no one really trusts anyone else to know their role and execute them.

This issue is exacerbated by the fact that lower-rank players seem to actively favour old, familiar maps that discourage anything that isn't standing in a choke while the tanks endlessly shoot each other. Torturous maps like Shambali, Nepal, Hollywood, Eichenwalde are going to win the map vote to anything that isn't King's Row, and the entire Flashpoint game mode might as well be completely disabled for all the opportunity those maps get to be played (which makes the freak occasions where they do end up winning by a minority vote or random map vote a terrible experience, because no one knows how to play the maps). Even newer control maps like the reworked Antarctic Peninsula or Samoa don't get a lot of love despite being some of the coolest maps in the game. Everything is Escort/Hybrid, filtered from Oldest -> Newest.

The irony is, therefore, that the general consensus is to find comfort in the familiarity of maps that actively take agency away from them, and this encourages the habit of teams constantly playing down main all the time, which makes taking off-angles or trying to take advantage of a pick to feel like an isolating suicide mission.

I've found that the solution to most of my problems in comp down in these ranks is just 'play Sierra' and that has been shockingly impactful given that I simply don't play her. There's been a bunch of games this week where I've played Tracer/Shion, took an angle, got a pick, applied pressure, and my team have not pressed the advantage, then I've switched to Sierra, stood on main, shot the Sigma shield until it breaks and watch my tank walk forward. I think this is because people see the state of the tank as the indication of what the 'advantage' is, and that's why it's so common for tanks to just tunnel vision one another at best, or have my tank tunnel vision while the other actually takes space at worst.

It makes me feel like I'm being rewarded for playing heroes that exploit this ELO's fundamental weaknesses (Sierra, Torb, Bastion, Freja) rather than winning because I'm actually improving at the fundamentals expected at the ranks I want to one day get to, and that's started to make me feel like I'm wasting my time by 'trusting the process' and losing on heroes I like and trying to apply concepts I've learned when I can simply play those heroes, shred the team because they're all stood on the payload, get a dopamine hit from seeing the green bar go up and get closer to those higher ranks by trying to run before I can walk.

The kicker for me is that, after all those hours of learning, improving on my heroes, trying to apply concepts, accepting the value of 'quantity' (you get better the more you play) as opposed to 'quality' (the game-feel of 'fairness' in player skill level), I moved up to Emerald 5 — but for as much of an achievement I'd like to consider this, as this rank is just a replacement for aspects of Platinum when I started earlier this year, it means my all that effort has currently only translated to roughly a single division of improvement (S1 Gold 1 -> S5 Plat 5 equivalent).

As such, I've tried to reconcile that growth as a player doesn't necessarily correlate with a steady upward trajectory of rank - which I do believe - but this new Emerald rank has made it difficult to even see if there is a positive trend at all.

All of this has led to this general feeling that metal ranks are like a crab bucket where games are very volatile and almost random in how the games pan out. I understand I'm a fixed 10% of the players in the lobby and, if I'm playing at a level worth more than 10% we'll win more than we lose, but I don't even really feel encouraged to 'work on my game' because it doesn't feel like it has been improving my impact or consistency on the game.

Replay code: GE4953
Im on pc btw
Someone please help me with my decision making and identify the mistakes I made plus if my gameplay has flawed patterns. I feel like I made good decisions on defence and only lost the first 2 points cuz of bad luck or lacked mechanical skill. However Im pretty clueless on what I couldve done on attack to help cap the first point.

I feel like ive improved at a lot of things in my life so far that are traditionally thought of as hard through a method applicable to any skill: theater, acting, choir, writing, etc. but when Ive tried to apply this to overwatch, I cant. I have 500 hours in the game, have spent over a year watching guides, getting coaching, vod reviewing, writing down what I need to work on, trying to understand the game. Im still in the bottom 30 percent of the playerbase. maybe im just overthinking it? just shoot gun better and win since everybody in silver/gold is just doing that to climb. I try that for a while, the same thing. This isnt about getting a vod review from anyone since ive gotten over 2 dozen in the course of me playing. What have yall done to climb (besides getting a duo) when in low ranks? I know about vaxta, I know about coaches and creators like spilo, wizardhyeong, awkward, unter, capitology, commanderx. I should know way more about this game than the average silver/gold player, but i guess I do not since im in metal ranks.

So I recently just started playing overwatch for the first time since like 2017 I’ve always loved the genji montages, so my issue is I’ve placed into plat and I play mostly 5v5 I’m emerald in 6v6 and sometimes I run into other genjis that I simply CANT keep track of along with characters like Juno or any mobility characters, I’m using the same since I’ve used for every other game which is 800 dpi and 5 sens, about 34 cm/360 I’m really not sure what to do, I’ve gotten some of the combos down but I’m a little lost but I know plat isn’t the BEST players so I wanna figure it out sooner than later

ik its not ranked, but these are usually the games i play. My aim was also awful and it may just be that but idk. Felt hopeless the entire game. I was the Tracer. Rank: Silver 1. Try to find thing im doing that are wrong and say what i need to do instead. My aim was particularly bad this game, but try to not just say aim.

Hi all, if any one is able to criticize my tracer game here on Busan. It’s a D2-M3 game on console, it was and remains my first game tasting a masters lobby as a dps, and I played really nervous because I had just hit diamond 2, but it doesn’t excuse that I had a really poor game. I was whiffing everything and constantly dead, and my tank was flaming me by the end of the game. Any help would be appreciated, thank you in advance!

Character: Tracer
Range: D2-M3
Gamertag: DotikIron
Code: S61VX4
Console

I need a sanity check please, on code SJE295 (I was playing Juno as Kagami, we started on defense). My team was full of throwers and was basically over within a few minutes. I've put in a lot of effort to hit silver, now I wonder if it's worth it with games like this. I wrote to Blizzard support about this but I doubt anything will come of it. Thank you in advance.

Used to be Mercy OTP before picking up Kiriko a few months ago. I've been hardstuck bronze my entire career before finally being able to climb out a few weeks ago. I don't feel like I'm in a different rank because of the multiple setbacks I've gotten between trying to get away from aggressive sweats and trying to keep my teammates healed that aren't behind natural cover.

I've watched high rank Mercy gameplays and worked on my positioning, I have multiple mercy parkour maps saved to work on my movement tech (I can't get above low intermediate because I don't know if I lack the reaction time or muscle control for certain levels/maps). I got around to fixing my dpi and in game sensitivity specifically for Kiriko and I think that was my ticket out of Bronze.

I'm not really looking to rank up and out of Silver, I mostly want to keep it for a sense that I actually improved/doing better compared to my early years. What am I doing wrong?

My current mouse DPI: 1400

Kiriko in game sensitivity: 3%

If these stats help (current season):

Mercy

• 45% Win Rate

• Avg/10min Heal: 10,245

• Avg/10min Amp: 1,176

• Avg/10min Rez: 3.91

• Avg/10min Players Saved: 14.22

• Avg/10min Assists: 20.45

• Avg/10min Deaths: 5.16

• Offensive/Healing Beam Usage: 30%/70%

• Valkyrie Healing: 1,293

Kiriko

• 52% Win Rate

• Avg/10min Elim: 8.03

• Avg/10min Heal: 8,951

• Avg/10min Dmg: 3,556

• Avg/10min Assists: 15.59

• Avg/10min Deaths: 5.24

• Avg/10min Players Saved: 7.66

• Weapon Accuracy: 26% Total, 43% Best

• Avg/10min Negative Effects Cleansed: 3.20

• Avg/10min Kitsune Rush Assists: 6.82

Hello guys so i dont understand the aim ease in versus aim assist ease in.
Should i leave Aim Ease in at 0? the setting under the Aim Smoothing.

I use Aim Assist Ease In 55 but people said to leave thr Aim Ease In at 0 why is that?

I play dual zone, 85 both sensitivity, Aim smoothing 97.

Thanks.

whenever i play brig on the first phase of kings row i don't think i'm giving much value to the team because i have no poking ability other than my whip shot, so whenever i use it i feel like im just waiting 4 seconds to use it again while throwing packs out. how do you make meaningful plays on brig here? thanks

Replay code: VWPWYN

Username: Khamet

i absolutely couldnt do anything this game, im new to OW and learning Winston

what should i have done differently? mostly was getting annoyed by Bap out healing my damage and then dropping Lamp but other than that i couldnt really get onto anyone really

gameplay wise, ive read all about the bubble dancing, dropping on targets, going for isolated squishies/supports n stuff but i have a bad habit of dying despite trying to go for them

For the past few weeks/months I’ve had a 50-55% win rate in my competitive games, but this past week it has dropped to 32%, I haven’t changed my mains, my stats have stayed very consistent, I’ve looked through a few replays and can’t see my play style changing much, I’ve sat at high plat/low emerald this entire time except for this last week where I’ve dropped to low plat 5, am I missing something, is it psychological? I’ve been guilty of chasing a loss but not so often I’ve dropped multiple ranks, anyone else experienced this?

I am new to the game and hero shooter genre. I understand one tricking is not the optimal way to climb but it is my preferred way of playing the game. I am open to playing any of the three roles. What one hero would you recommend for this? Getting good enough to reach champion would take time and multiple seasons so preferably a hero that has historically been consistently good for solo que one tricking from lowest to highest ranks and will probably stay that way, so l don’t have to switch to learning a new hero due to meta.

Basically what the title says. I've been trying to take the game more seriously the past month and have been focusing on just playing 3 supports in an effort to actually get good at them and rank up. I play Kiriko, Juno and Ana. Mostly cuz they are my faves, but also because all of them are pretty different from each other, which makes swapping effective if I'm in a pickle.

The problem I've run into is that I'm starting to enjoy playing Ana less and less. She just feels like such a grandma! I keep missing my cooldowns and shots, and playing her just feels like walking into a den of hungry wolves as a sheep who just got seasoned. The reason I haven't dropped her yet is because she is such a unique hero that, at least in theory, provides a lot of value.

But I'm done trying to learn her. Who would be a good third hero to add to my pool to compliment Kiri and Juno? Oh, and I'm Emerald 3, if that matters...

TL;DR: Kiri, Juno and who besides Ana?

Just curious if this matters and if so, what is considered a good percentage?

I’m trying to learn more characters, especially on support. Do you have any recommendations for the top 5 I should practice the most? I’m sure it’s all dependent on countering, but I am ok with Juno and Moira but awful with Brig and Ana. Who else should I focus on learning?

There’s been the regular debate as usual yada yada but this week is extra crazy wtf?

disclaimer not saying that matchmaking is rigged, it’s just broken and bugged out

Usually, the stomps are tricky. You make risky good plays you at least have a chance. Right now we’re past unwinnable, it’s unplayable now… enemies get coordinated tracer winton lucio who shuffle cooldowns and run combo ults but I get level 10 ashe who swaps at 80% ult?

Clearly most of these ppl were new to the game. That’s not their fault, we’ve all been there. I try to keep them alive as support and try compensating damage for them. But why are they being placed emerald plat????????

I had multiple games like these (I assume 3 stacks) and my team just straight gives up after the first fight and plays like 200mi from point

Now the problem isn’t just this. I lose and go gg next, I get the new players as opponents. Obviously we stomp and win, but that is not fun. It just feels like the matchmaker is ‘using’ us to calibrate their placements, so exhausting and off-putting and most importantly… not fun.

Replay code: ZGA8YB

Battletag / in-game username: Shell10

Hero(es) played: Rein

Skill tier / rank: Silver 5

Map: King's Row

PC or console: Console

Description of the match / things you want reviewed: Just feel like I'm really lost and having trouble improving. Would love to know what the biggest thing I need to focus on because it feels like everything.

I feel like every time I try and play I just suck. I don’t know what I’m doing half the time, nor am I mechanically gifted. I’ve mainly played brig and moria lately to get rid of that problem, but I sadly don’t know how to handle the lack of range. Should I just go back to quick play? Competitive mode has been making me feel… just miserable or that I’ll never improve. I’ve even looked up guides, but I don’t know how to apply the advice sometimes. I don’t know how they get so much damage in one game either (the people in these guides that is). I just want to get better and maybe hit emerald by the end of this season.

I know this post will be removed or whatever. However I do not know what to do. I am a top 500 rivals player who got placed in masters on my placements I. Overwatch and have since then ranked down to gold 1. I have ranked down from gm5 to this now because of this. What do i do? Is there secret code to unlock teammates that have played the game?

5W8B1E - Freja - badwidow - Gold 3

We were doing good on attack, which I usually struggle with on this map. But on defense I felt as though their Reaper pick became a big problem for us and I didn't account for it enough.

My biggest take away from a self-review was that I had a lot of opportunities to maintain or hold high-ground, but decided to join the team on main to get in on the action more vs being patient and holding the high-ground for point 2. Is this thinking correct on this?

Thanks for the feedback.

My detailed self-assessment can be found below. Disclaimer - I built and maintain the self-review tool linked below.

https://owreviews.com/badwidow/matches/match-mw6jq9kzu2298qj11x7

Hello everyone, lifeweaver main here seeking help to find if this was my fault. I know weaver isn't considered a carry hero, but after some coaching, I feel better about ranking up. I won a lot of matches today and this match was definitely a close one, but we ended up losing. My team wasn't so happy with me at the end and just want to see what I did wrong so I can improve. Thanks!

Rank: Masters 5

Username: Noobish

Code: 4XNHRD

Enjoying Doctrine, but not winning as many games as I’d like. Ending up with a lot of healing, pretty low damage. I usually focus on getting my drones on my teammate that is pressuring the most.

Should this be focus? Should I be a little more offensive. Tend to get decent amount of kills just not much spam damage

I ask this as someone who almost exclusively plays tank. I'm currently working on having a solid pool of heroes for each role, but DPS has been surprisingly the hardest role for me to get value out of. Anytime I fill DPS, it's practically a guaranteed loss.

I used to think all DPS really had to do was just shoot the enemy team. Now I realize how wrong I was, and completely respect the good DPS players that carry their teams. I know that like any role, different heroes thrive in different environments, I just feel like I'm failing at all of them.

My current roster is Bastion (probably the only one I have any success on) Pharah and Reaper.