The hitboxes in Overwatch are quite large. Headshots can land even when the head is not visible.
Headshot without seeing the opponent
Anyone who plays many shooters surely knows the term “hitboxes” – these are basically areas on a character that need to be hit by weapons to inflict damage. Depending on the character, these hitboxes vary in size. No wonder, a slim Symmetra is harder to hit than a bulky Roadhog. However, a special feature are the hitboxes for heads in Overwatch, because hitting them deals double damage with most weapons. However, those who think that the hitbox is only as large as the actual displayed head of the respective character are mistaken!
The YouTuber Force Gaming shows in his latest video how large the hitboxes actually are.
A second factor is the used weapon. Projectiles, such as Mei’s icicles or Hanzo’s arrow, also have a relatively large hitbox, which further enhances the aforementioned effect. As long as both hitboxes “barely” touch, it counts as a headshot. This makes it possible to eliminate opponents with headshots even if they are completely covered by a wall.
Mein-MMO says: Of course, it is frustrating when one gets shot “around corners” because the hitbox of a projectile or one’s own head is significantly larger than one might expect from other shooters. Especially in the video, when one sees the exact dimensions of the hotbox, it can seem quite silly. However, in fluid gameplay, it fits well into the feeling of Overwatch – still, some deaths feel quite unfair due to this. It would at least be commendable if Blizzard implemented some kind of check to verify whether a character is at least visible in the line of fire.
For more news and articles about Blizzard’s hero shooter, you can find them on our Overwatch game page.
