Aiming is an essential part of every First-Person Shooter (FPS), and Overwatch is no different. Even heroes like Reinhardt, Moira, and Brigitte – who don’t rely heavily on aim – still benefit from it with their abilities and movement. Here are some tips on how to improve.
1. Choose your Overwatch hero
Aiming in Overwatch is different from many other FPS games because each hero is different. For example, learning to aim Genji’s projectiles is very different from aiming with Widowmaker or McCree. This means that it’s important to choose the hero or heroes you want to play. Learning to aim with Widowmaker won’t help you out very much if you play mostly Mei.
If you don’t know who you want to play, Soldier: 76 is probably the best bet to practice on. He teaches important aiming mechanics like tracking, flicking, and aiming a projectile.
2. Gear and settings
Aiming will be easier if you have good gear and settings. Trying to aim while playing Overwatch at 30 frames per second will prove very difficult. While it may not be possible to immediately improve your gear, if you are serious about playing and getting better, it’s worth saving up for. Having a big mouse pad is also helpful for aiming because it gives you more room to move your arm.
Settings are also important, especially mouse sensitivity. It will be very difficult for you to aim with a sensitivity you aren’t comfortable with. It’s also generally harder to aim with higher sensitivities. Try setting your sensitivity to 5 in-game with your mouse sensitivity at 800 DPI, and then make adjustments from there. If it feels too slow, go a little higher, and if it feels too fast drop it a little. Make sure to settle on what feels best for you.
Graphics settings are also important in Overwatch. You want to get as many frames per second as possible. Try turning Vertical Sync off, setting a higher framerate cap, and lowering your settings until you are getting as many frames per second as you can.
3. Practice to build muscle memory
Once you choose a hero and have settings you are comfortable with, you need to practice to build up muscle memory. You can start by practicing tracking bots and flicking in the Practice Range. Once this becomes easy, you can take your practice to Deathmatch or Quick Play. Make sure that you focus on aiming and your arm movements while practicing.
Improving aiming in Overwatch is ultimately about building up muscle memory over time. Don’t get discouraged when it doesn’t seem like you’re improving. It takes a lot of time and practice to get good!
