Overwatch 2 is now live! And with it comes a whole host of changes. We’ve summed the majority of the changes in this article, but today what we really want to focus on is the Push maps.
Push maps are brand new to Overwatch and are one of the PvP game modes. It’s a kind of variation on the Payload where you fight over control over one robot pushing two walls around the map. The winner of the match has their wall pushed the furthest by the timer ends. Or when the wall reaches the end.
Whether you’re a returning Overwatch player or someone who’s just joined Overwatch 2 you’ll find these tips and strategies useful for dominating Push.
How Does Push Mode Work?
In Push mode, there’s a robot in the centre of the map that is capable of pushing either your wall or your opponent team’s wall. Encourage the robot to join your team by being around it, similar to the Payload. And it’ll run from the centre point to your wall and begin pushing.
You can take back an opponent’s claim of the robot by being the only team around the opponent’s robot. This probably means killing them in the area around the robot. At this point, the robot can switch allegiances and run back over to your wall and push that instead.
Note: While control of the robot may flip back and forth, progress made in pushing a barricade cannot be reversed.
Each Push map is a max of 8 minutes long, with potential added time in the event of Overtime triggering. You win by pushing the robot all the way to the final checkpoint, or farther than the other team before time runs out. Overtime is triggered the same way as capturing the point or payload is by the end of the timer. If you or your team are at the robot when time has run out you can fight it out in Overtime.
Note: You need someone at the robot or it won’t move. But you don’t need your whole team on there it moves with just one person. And unlike the Payload it won’t heal you.
Balance Between Mobility And Being On Point
In Push you’re going to be fighting for control of the robot most of the time, this means being able to survive attacks as well as keep yourself alive. Just like with the Payload map you’re going to want to divide your team into two. With one attack hunting down the enemy team, while the others with the Tank guard the robot. Divide the healers accordingly.
If you have most of your team focused on attacking the enemy you leave your robot unguarded, allowing you to cede control. And at the same time if you’re all bunched around the robot it’ll be easier to pick off all of you. You’ll use this balance for the most part but of course, this is Overwatch so you’ll need to be flexible in situations too.
For example, if the whole enemy team is rushing the robot and you see your flankers going in nearby you should join them and leave the robot alone for a bit. It’s better you all come out alive as opposed to you dying one by one as the enemy gains on you. Use your best judgement for this balance.
Note: Remember to assign someone to attend to the robot. At least one or two.
Use The Location To Your Advantage
Push maps are havens for flankers. Both Colosseo and New Queen Street have a lot of side areas to take advantage of, allowing you to flank enemies or gain a vertical advantage over them to gain lines of sight. This is applied to healers as well, those that just stay in the backline are likely to be picked off.
The team which most effectively uses this extra space will likely come out on top. When attempting to regain control of the robot, use these side areas in tandem with your other teammates to pincer the enemies.
Likewise, when you are pushing, controlling these side areas will ensure you can stop enemies from getting behind you, and essentially control the high ground. Due to the likelihood of getting into 1v1 fights in this mode, heroes that can fare well on their own will perform the best.
Get The First Checkpoint
There are three checkpoints that you can push your robot to on the map. Once you reach a checkpoint a new spawn room will open for you and your team allowing you to recontest the robot quicker. You’re going to want to be the first team to get to that checkpoint first.
So at the beginning consider saving the majority of your team’s Ultimates in order to overwhelm the enemy team right before you take the first checkpoint. As opposed to using them all up before you get there.
Don’t Be Too Greedy In Push
I know we all love to get those eliminations stacked up but it’s better to stay alive than to have to respawn far away. You don’t actually have to push the map all the way to the enemy spawn point you can hold it further away and still win the match. If you’ve got enough of a commanding lead you can also just focus on chasing away the opponent team from the robot rather than focus on bunching and pushing.
Healers Need To Flank Too
Backline healers were already no-go’s in Overwatch 1 but in Overwatch 2 their penalty is even higher. Generally, the original method of a healer staying in the backline and healing a tank doesn’t work anymore. Your ult charges less healing a tank and now there’s only one on the map.
Most of the healers have their own in-built mobility so definitely take advantage of this. This tip works in all maps actually. Make sure to rotate front and back, reposition yourself often and get the high ground when possible. This will make you harder to pick off, give you more access to healing your team and even get yourself a few kills too. (Heal first though please)
Know Where Your Team Is
Overwatch has always been a team-based sport and there’s a good reason for this. In most games, you’re probably not going to be able to survive on your own and in Push, there’s no way that one person is going to be able to simultaneously stay alive, kill the opponent team and push the robot.
What you need to do is communicate and take a look around at where your team is. I know it’s tempting when you spot an opportunity to charge in. But if you’re in a weird corner where no one else can get to, not even an Ana healing dart you’re mostly charging in to feed the enemy.
Timing is always key in Overwatch and this is no exception. Don’t rush in where no one can see you.
Best Hero Picks For Push
Support
Kiriko is the meta now. She’s very flanky and will be able to take advantage of the terrain with wall climb and teleport. And while her heal does not have AoE she will be fine focus healing flanking characters. So use her to position herself around the map and heal. In terms of killing with her unless you have a higher skill ceiling you probably won’t be able to duel. But you can probably assist a flanker. Forget about going in at tanks. (Check out our how-to-play Kiriko guide here).
Healers that can support the Push would be Baptise, Brigitte and Lucio. Baptise has great range and damage, position him around the map for excellent support. Brigitte has her AoE and is good around the area of the robot. As well as Lucio, with that additional ability to burst speed which is quite important in Push.
Tank
Winston is one of the best dive tankers meaning that he’ll be good to engage all around the robot. He’s very versatile, creating pockets of attack when going in and the flankers follow. And hopping back to the robot and backline to take care of the enemy. Don’t sleep on his new secondary fire ability as well to poke squishy targets before they gather.
The same dive abilities also work for D.Va, who can also travel around the map. But compared to Winston is not as good. If you do want to use her because you’re more comfortable with her abilities however she’s an alright alternate pick.
Zarya is another great versatile hero that does well on the Push map. Because of the flanking nature of this map will be able to assist the team who are being attacked from all sides. The same goes for Roadhog which has great survivability at the point. You won’t be able to take down tanks but if you have a good Road game will be excellent at grabbing squishes.
Damage
Overwatch 2 is all about that flank life and there are a number of heroes for you to choose from. The main two for Push maps I’d suggest however would be Genji and Echo. They have a high degree of mobility and are flexible in most situations. Echo is able to attack from further away as well as from near. And Genji’s deflect is an amazing tool for duelling.
Other characters such as Reaper, Soldier:76, Sojourn, Sombra, Tracer and to a lesser extent Ashe should do well on this map too. Ashe is less mobile but her Bob is almost undeniable.
Know Your Push Maps
Like with any game mode knowing the map is going to give you a significant advantage over the enemy team.
Colosseo
Esperanca
New Queen Street
Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play, team-based action game set in the optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Play as a time-jumping freedom fighter, a beat-dropping battlefield DJ, or one of over 30 other unique heroes as you battle it out around the globe.
Overwatch 2 is available on the PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC – Battle.Net.
For more Overwatch 2 guide articles check them all out here.