Who Counters Winston Tank in Overwatch 2? A Primate Problem Solved

Winston, the intelligent and charismatic gorilla from Overwatch 2, is a formidable dive tank known for his mobility and disruptive capabilities. He excels at diving into the backlines, disrupting enemy formations, and picking off vulnerable targets. However, even this scientific simian has his weaknesses. The best counters to Winston are heroes who can exploit his short range, withstand his burst damage, and punish him when he commits to a dive. Specifically, heroes like Reaper, Roadhog, Bastion, and D.Va are excellent choices to bring down the electrically charged primate.

Understanding Winston’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Before diving into specific counters, it’s crucial to understand what makes Winston tick. He boasts the following strengths:

• High Mobility: His Jump Pack allows him to quickly engage or disengage from fights, making him difficult to pin down.
• Area-of-Effect Damage: His Tesla Cannon deals consistent damage to multiple targets within a short range, making him effective against tightly packed teams.
• Barrier Protection: His Barrier Projector provides temporary protection for himself and his team, allowing him to push into contested areas.
• Disruption: His Primal Rage ultimate significantly increases his health, melee damage, and knockback potential, turning him into a raging disruptor.

However, Winston also has significant weaknesses:

• Short Range: His Tesla Cannon is only effective at close range, leaving him vulnerable to heroes who can maintain distance.
• Vulnerability During Leap: He’s an easy target while leaping, which makes him susceptible to being interrupted.
• Predictable Dive Patterns: Experienced players can anticipate his dive locations and set up to counter him.
• Reliance on Cooldowns: Without his Jump Pack and Barrier Projector, Winston is relatively vulnerable and immobile.

Top Counter Picks to Shut Down Winston

Knowing Winston’s strengths and weaknesses, we can identify heroes who exploit those vulnerabilities:

DPS Counters

• Reaper: This is perhaps the most straightforward counter. Reaper’s Hellfire Shotguns deal massive damage at close range, allowing him to quickly melt Winston, especially if he’s isolated. His Wraith Form enables him to escape Winston’s dives, and Death Blossom can punish Winston and his team for clumping together.
• Bastion: In Configuration: Assault, Bastion becomes a tank-busting machine. His high damage output can shred Winston’s barrier and health pool in seconds. While Winston can dive Bastion, a well-positioned Bastion with proper support can easily win the duel.
• Torbjorn: Torbjorn’s turret provides constant damage output, pressuring Winston from multiple angles. While Winston can destroy the turret, it forces him to divert his attention, reducing his effectiveness in the main fight. Overload can increase Torbjorn’s survivability when Winston dives him.
• Symmetra: Can be a situational counter. Symettra’s turrets make it tough for Winston to make an entry and her beam weapon can make quick work of the tank.

Tank Counters

• Roadhog: Roadhog’s Chain Hook can interrupt Winston’s Jump Pack, pulling him out of position and leaving him vulnerable. His Take a Breather ability allows him to sustain through Winston’s damage, and his Scrap Gun deals significant burst damage at close range.
• D.Va: D.Va is a highly versatile tank who can both dive and peel for her team. Her Defense Matrix can block Winston’s Tesla Cannon and protect her team from his initial dive. D.Va can also use her Boosters to follow Winston’s dives, applying pressure and forcing him to disengage.
• Junker Queen: Junker Queen can use her Commanding Shout to give herself and her team increased health and speed, which can help them survive Winston’s dive. Her Jagged Blade can interrupt Winston’s Jump Pack, and her Carnage axe deals significant burst damage.

Support Counters

• Brigitte: Brigitte’s Shield Bash can interrupt Winston’s Jump Pack, stunning him and leaving him vulnerable. Her Repair Pack provides burst healing to allies being targeted by Winston, and her Whip Shot can knock him back, creating distance.
• Lucio: Lucio’s Speed Boost can help his team reposition quickly, making it difficult for Winston to isolate targets. His Soundwave can knock Winston away, disrupting his dives and creating space for his team.

General Strategies for Countering Winston

Beyond specific hero picks, certain strategies can help you counter Winston:

• Stay Grouped: Winston thrives on isolating targets. Staying grouped as a team makes it more difficult for him to pick off vulnerable heroes.
• Focus Fire: Coordinate your team to focus fire on Winston when he dives. Bursting him down quickly will force him to retreat.
• Track His Cooldowns: Pay attention to when Winston uses his Jump Pack and Barrier Projector. He’s most vulnerable when these abilities are on cooldown.
• Use High Ground: High ground provides a positional advantage against Winston, making it more difficult for him to dive you.
• Punish His Predictable Dives: Watch for common dive locations and position yourself to punish him when he engages.

Adaptability is Key

Ultimately, the best way to counter Winston is to be adaptable. The ideal hero pick and strategy will depend on the map, your team composition, and the enemy team’s composition. Don’t be afraid to switch heroes or adjust your strategy as needed. The team that can adapt most effectively will have the best chance of winning. Studying game theory, like research shared at the Games Learning Society conferences, can also inform your decision-making process in-game by understanding strategic interactions. You can learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does Winston counter Reinhardt?

Yes, to an extent. Winston can dive over Reinhardt’s shield and pressure the backline, but a coordinated Reinhardt team can mitigate this by peeling for their supports. Reinhardt also has the raw damage potential to deal with Winston.

2. Does Bastion hard counter Winston?

In many cases, yes. Bastion’s high damage output can melt Winston’s shield and health very quickly. However, a coordinated Winston dive with support can still take down Bastion, especially if he’s isolated or poorly positioned.

3. Is Winston a Genji counter?

Generally, yes. Winston’s Tesla Cannon cannot be deflected by Genji, making it difficult for the cyborg ninja to deal with him. However, a skilled Genji can still outplay Winston by using his mobility and burst damage.

4. Why is Reaper so good against Winston?

Reaper’s Hellfire Shotguns deal massive damage at close range, allowing him to quickly melt Winston. Additionally, his Wraith Form allows him to escape Winston’s dives, and his Death Blossom can punish clumped-up teams.

5. Why does D.Va counter Winston?

D.Va’s Defense Matrix can block Winston’s Tesla Cannon, protecting her team from his initial dive. She can also use her Boosters to follow Winston’s dives, applying pressure and forcing him to disengage.

6. Does Winston counter Symmetra?

Winston can be effective against Symmetra if she’s playing too far forward or is isolated. His Tesla Cannon can quickly destroy her turrets, and his mobility allows him to dive her. However, a well-positioned Symmetra with proper support can be difficult to deal with.

7. What is Winston’s weakness?

Winston’s primary weakness is his short range. He needs to be close to his target to deal damage, making him vulnerable to heroes who can maintain distance.

8. Does Junker Queen counter Winston?

Junker Queen can be a decent counter to Winston. Her Commanding Shout gives her and her team survivability, and her Jagged Blade can interrupt his Jump Pack.

9. What support is good against Winston?

Brigitte and Lucio are excellent choices. Brigitte’s Shield Bash can interrupt Winston’s dives, and her Repair Pack provides burst healing. Lucio’s Speed Boost allows his team to reposition quickly, and his Soundwave can knock Winston away.

10. How do you damage Winston?

Focus fire! Winston’s barrier is easily broken, and once it’s down, his large hitbox makes him an easy target.

11. Can Winston damage Zarya?

Yes, but Zarya’s bubbles can mitigate his damage and charge her weapon. However, during his Primal Rage, Winston’s melee attacks can knock back Zarya even with a bubble active.

12. What tank counters Sigma?

Reinhardt is a strong counter to Sigma, especially when paired with a Lucio or Reaper. Reinhardt can close the distance and pressure Sigma directly.

13. What characters are good against Winston?

Reaper, Roadhog, Bastion, D.Va, Brigitte, and Lucio are all strong choices. The key is to exploit his short range and punish his dives.

14. Who is the best counter to Widowmaker in Overwatch 2?

Dive tanks like Winston and D.Va can be effective at harassing Widowmaker. Ana and Kiriko can also provide long-range support and healing to counter her.

15. Is Winston hard to master?

While Winston is relatively easy to pick up, mastering him requires excellent game sense, positioning, and cooldown management. Knowing when to engage, when to disengage, and how to effectively use his Primal Rage are crucial for success.