5 Quick Tips for Better Communication in Overwatch

Intro

In a team based game such as Overwatch having strong communication can be the difference between an easy victory and a swift defeat. Communication won't instantly turn a bad team into a good one, but it can help a team of random players to push together, combo ultimates, and have a strong composition. In this guide I'll cover 5 tips that you can use to improve your communication.

 

 

1. Greet your team

Greeting your team right when you get into a game does two things: breaks the ice for anyone else not wanting to start up the conversation, and shows the team that you'll actually be using voice chat. If no one says anything in voice chat for the first minute then people might be less confident in the team. Talking first also establishes yourself as a voice on the team, and can help you if you want to be the shotcaller. This is an incredibly simple thing that you can do before games start, but it can really jump start team communication.

 

2. Ask Don't Tell

Chances are you've been in a game where someone picks Hanzo on attack and your entire team starts complaining about it. Before the game even starts you have bad blood in your lobby, and that Hanzo isn't likely to be a team player anymore. A better approach is simply asking them to swap, they might not always say yes, but they're certainly more likely to listen. You'd be surprised at how many people are willing to change things after you ask "Do you mind switching to this hero instead?". This doesn't always have to be related to hero picks though. A Genji could keep running into team fights by himself, or a Zarya could be using her ultimate without any allies nearby, just ask them to play differently. Phrasing and tone of voice is key, if you are asking someone to swap in a rude way then they're going to feel insulted.

 

3. Never BM

BM'ing someone who's performing badly is like hitting something broken with a hammer and expecting it to be fixed, in the end you just made it even worse. Being toxic to someone is either going to tilt them or make them leave voice chat, and that certainly isn't going to help you win a game. If they stay in voice chat they definitely won't be following your calls anymore, and might cause other drama within it. You are going to get players that don't perform well, it's just a part of any game, but try to stay positive in chat. 

 

4. Be a leader

Having someone coordinate your team can completely change the course of a game, especially if you aren't playing with a group. Whether it be getting them to combo ultimates or push at the same time, being a leader can turn a team of 6 strangers into a well working unit. If you want your team to listen to your calls, then they're gonna have to trust you. Assuming you used some of the previous tips, your team should have no problem with giving you a shot. You won't always be able to control 5 strangers though, so be prepared for someone to run off on their own from time to time. As you frequently make good calls your team will start listening to them with less and less hesitation, so think through your plays.

 

5. Discuss Strategy

Strategy can mean a lot of things in Overwatch, so I'll be a bit more specific. In each phase of the game there's a going to be a point where you'll need to come up with a strategy. This can be picking your composition, when to use ultimates, how you want to engage fights, or anything else that requires a decision to be made. Being able to make calls on the fly is an important part of being a leader, but you also need to plan things out so your team isn't going into a fight with no clue what to do. See what your team wants to do, convince everyone else that isn't on board, and figure out how to execute it. This is much easier if your team is letting you lead because you can take charge of the conversation.

Like our content? Support us by getting our merchandise in our shop