Ten OWL insiders weigh in on the developing meta
With the launch of Overwatch 2: Invasion, a slew of changes hit competitive play. In order to allow Overwatch League teams to acclimate, the competition has been on pause for two weeks and is set to come back on August 26.
The new map-type Flashpoint will be making a debut. Moreover, the latest introduction to the hero pool, Illari will also be eligible for active play.
Teams have been actively practising behind the scenes, trying to get a handle on the new game state.
GGRecon has asked insiders from ten distinct OWL teams to shed light on the evolving meta found in scrimmages around the league.
Early meta reads
According to those sources, there's a diverse range of tanks making their mark on the battlefield. Orisa, Sigma, Doomfist, and D.Va are seeing active play in scrims for various squads.
Additionally, some teams are keen on implementing Winston within the Dive archetype. An interesting twist also includes experimentation with a Winston Rush strategy, though insiders estimate it may not cement itself as a mainstream meta.
For damage dealers, Soldier is experiencing a resurgence, emerging as a preferred hitscan choice among many teams. Torbjorn, on the other hand, is establishing himself as a potent force in Rush and Anti-dive strategies.
Diverse Dive compositions cater to the varied map architectures, leading teams to incorporate heroes like Genji, Echo, Tracer, and Soldier based on the strategic requirements of specific terrains.
Support heroes are witnessing their own evolution. While the Lucio and Ana combination remains a tried-and-tested formula, teams are broadening their horizons.
Click to enlargeDouble flex support compositions, particularly those with Illari and Baptiste, are gaining traction. Illari, in particular, has been a standout, frequently topping damage charts in her appearances.
The new game mode, Flashpoint, seems to be garnering a positive reception from teams. The compositions often witnessed in this mode include the likes of Orisa, Soldier, Torbjorn, Illari, and Baptiste.
Despite these patterns, it's clear that teams are still very much in the exploratory phase. A few compositions have been exclusive to one or two teams, and sharing those might therefore jeopardize competitive integrity.
Wrapping it up, while certain trends are surfacing, the consensus among insiders is that the definitive meta is yet to be etched in stone.
Many sources felt that Dive was unlikely to survive on most maps, with the meta currently trending towards a Bunker type around the aforementioned double Flex supports.