Overwatch 2 Winston guide: Abilities, tips & how to unlock
Winston is the top banana when it comes to pressuring his opponents. Whenever you see this giant gorilla in Overwatch 2, you should be shuddering before him. Here's how to play this tank properly and the abilities at Winston's arsenal.
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Winston is a dominating force in Overwatch 2, who can leap into the sky and bring down some electrical chaos upon the opposition. Here's our coverage of his abilities and some tips for using them, so you know how to play as this terrifying tank.
Abilities explained
| Name | Type | Effect |
| Tesla Cannon | Primary Fire | Electric frontal-cone weapon |
| Tesla Cannon Alt Fire | Secondary Fire | Hold to charge, release to fire focused electricity |
| Barrier Projector | Ability | Deploy a protective energy dome |
| Jump Pack | Ability | Leap forward into the air. Landing on an enemy damages them |
| Primal Rage | Ultimate | Gain immense health, but you can only leap and punch enemies |
| Role: Tank | Role Passive | Reduces knockbacks and critical damage received. Less ultimate generated by healing and damage received |
Tips for playing Winston
Winston can be a tough tank to use as you have to balance your offensive and defensive timing. Here are some of our best tips on how to play Winston properly.
First, you should know that Winston can be a great disruptor to the backline of the enemy team. With Winston's giant leap, you can focus on the support heroes like Zenyatta and eliminate them quickly. After a few short seconds, you can leap back to your allies as they then decimate the whole team.
Second, use the Barrier Protector sparingly. If you see an ally struggling with low health, that is the best time to use it. The shield is much weaker than Reinhardt's, and enemies can enter inside, but at a safe distance, it can be an effective way to repel enemy attacks.
For Winston's ultimate, it's perfect for objectives that are close to steep falls. In Ilios, for example, there's an objective that is surrounded by a deep abyss.
Try to use Winston's primal form to push off opponents and send them flying off the stage, Super Smash Bros. style. You can also just hold enemies back from an objective or choke point, especially in the closing seconds of a game, to ensure the timer doesn't reset.
How to unlock Winston in Overwatch 2
Thankfully for free-to-play players, Winston is a hero that is unlocked instantly once you finish basic training and start playing online.
About The Author
Chris Penwell
Chris Penwell is an experienced video games journalist with a Bachelor in Communications. He loves to play narrative-focused games like Kingdom Hearts and Beyond Good & Evil.
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