Overwatch 2 offers crossplay and can be played on PC as well as the current consoles from Xbox and PlayStation. This means OW2 has extensive controller support, but not all heroes in the game are well-suited for the controller. Which heroes rock, we show you on MeinMMO.
The heroes in Overwatch 2 differ significantly. There is the “Call of Duty” hero Soldier: 76, who scores with straightforward shooter gameplay. But there are also characters like Hanzo, who rampages through the lobbies with a bow and arrow.
These significant gameplay differences make Overwatch 2 so special. But thanks to crossplay and support for mouse & keyboard as well as controller, heroes can not only be categorized into their roles – there are also those that play better with mouse & keyboard or with a controller.
MeinMMO lists which heroes work really well with the controller and which you should avoid:
A heroine that is better suited for mouse and keyboard is the release heroine of OW2: Kiriko. We embed her gameplay trailer here:
Maik has been playing controller for ages. Knows the advantages and disadvantages compared to mouse & keyboard and can show you which heroes are really good to play with the controller – and which ones are not.
Overwatch 2: Controller Heroes – Tank
- Reinhardt
- Sigma
- D.Va
- Winston
The differences among tanks are not as pronounced. Many heroes can be easily played with a controller here. However, we want to specifically recommend 4.
- Reinhardt
Reinhardt has a fantastic controller weapon: a hammer. His abilities are also easy to use. Through the precise use of the horizontal view axis when using his shield, you have advantages in certain situations compared to a mouse Reinhardt.
- Sigma
The tank Sigma has as a primary weapon two slow, exploding balls. They can be excellently handled with the controller – the same goes for his abilities.
- D.Va
The woman with the mech offers an infinite magazine with highly scattered projectiles. Whether you fire roughly towards the enemy with the mouse or the controller makes little difference. Strong with the controller is her “Booster” ability, which allows you to fly a bit. With some practice, the controller helps achieve elegant flying maneuvers.
- Winston
The monkey with the weapon has an electro-gun that deals damage in a cone-shaped area in front of you. Accurate aiming is often secondary; your movements are crucial, and here the controller is a strong choice. His charged secondary shot requires precise hits. But since you can determine the moment of firing yourself (unlike, for example, Zenyatta), the shot is still well controllable.
Here are a few basic tips for you on how to secure more victories:
Overwatch 2: Controller Heroes – Damage
- Reaper
- Junkrat
- Pharah
- Sojourn
In the DPS role, there are most heroes that you should generally avoid. Often, precise hits are necessary, and pinpoint tracking of enemy movements is required. Here, mouse & keyboard are usually at an advantage.
- Reaper
Reaper is a nasty shotgun type who gets up close and personal with his enemies. It’s all about mobility and timing – having a feel for the right moment to ambush foes. This can be excellently accomplished with the controller.
- Junkrat
The slightly crazy black powder fan shoots explosive balls, throws mines, and nasty traps. Good conditions for the controller. Furthermore, the mines allow for reckless movement actions when you fling yourself around. It takes practice, but good movement control with a controller allows for true heights.
- Pharah
The flying damage heroine requires a very active playstyle from you. With the right timing, you remain airborne and blast the second row of enemies out of frame with your rockets. This is where a controller pays off, as you almost continuously press one more button than with other heroes to stay in the air. This is significantly more comfortable with a controller.
- Sojourn
Sojourn is the only one of the “hitscan” heroes that we recommend for the controller. Only a few heroes offer projectiles that hit immediately after firing (hitscan), which is strong against very mobile heroes like Pharah or Mercy. The advantage of Sojourn: a high fire rate and absolutely no recoil on the primary weapon. Additionally, you can slow down enemies with one ability, making it easier to catch them.
Here are some tips from supporters on how to fill the damage role more effectively:
Overwatch 2: Controller Heroes – Support
- Mercy
- Lucio
- Moira
- Brigitte
In the support role, the proportion of heroes for controller is again higher than in the damage role. We show you those with which the controller performs best:
- Mercy
The hovering buff and healing station relies on good movement. Her hovering abilities and healing beam can be very well controlled with the controller. However, her secondary weapon is more suited for the mouse – battle Mercy is not as strong with the controller.
- Lucio
The sprightly speedster uses wall jumps for agile maneuvers and is constantly on the move – a strong controller healer. His primary weapon fires slow pulses and requires more your ability to anticipate actions than to accurately hit the forehead.
- Moira
The supernatural powers of Moira have nothing in common with the projectile weapons of some other heroes. A general direction is enough for effective healing and damage to the enemy. With her strong escape ability, you are always ready to jump out of the danger zone with a clever controller maneuver.
- Brigitte
Brigitte forgoes a ranged weapon and is considered a top hero for the controller like Reinhardt. A firm grip and the right feel for an advance are crucial for Brigitte. Timing may not be aided by the controller, but control and hits can certainly provide advantages.
Overwatch 2: Controller Heroes – Not a Good Choice
There are a few heroes in each role that we do not recommend for the controller. This is mainly because it is more challenging to hit with these heroes.
- No Controller Heroes
- Orisa
- Zarya
- Ashe
- Cassidy
- Genji
- Widowmaker
- Tracer
- Soldier 76
- Ana
- Kiriko
- Zenyatta
For example, the aim sensitivity is automatically reduced when you have an enemy in your crosshairs. Or the crosshairs slightly follow the enemy when you turn.
However, players report after the release of Overwatch 2 that aim assist for controllers is disabled in crossplay lobbies. Without aim assist, significantly more training is necessary to keep the crosshair on the enemy.
Therefore, it is better to choose a controller hero when playing crossplay.
The presented lists are recommendations based on subjective experiences. Everyone perceives the heroes differently, develops their own strategy, and may even play a Soldier 76 at the highest level with the controller.
Try things out, pay attention to the abilities of the heroes and find your own playstyle. Leave us a comment on which heroes you prefer to play with a controller or with mouse and keyboard and why. We would love to discuss our selection with you.
Are you looking for more recommendations for strong heroes? Take a look at our tier list: Overwatch 2: Tier List – The Best DPS, Tank, and Support Heroes
