Overwatch 2 tank mains are tired of getting the “tank diff” comment at the end of every match. Generally, there is always a conversation going on among players about how tanks fit into the game, especially since the launch of Overwatch 2. Now that we have a 5v5 game with one tank per team, the importance of that role is bigger than it was in the original game, so some players like to direct their failures toward the tank as the source. That’s not always the case.
The above Reddit thread comes from user Jaaguri, who self-identifies as a Reinhardt one-trick and is in the Master rank tier. They argue that tanks don’t always have their value shown on the scoreboard. This is an idea that we can agree with for many heroes in the game, but the case definitely applies to most tanks.
When is an Overwatch 2 tank getting value?
The thing to remember about the tank role is that they want to take up space on the field. In some cases, this can be just occupying an area and making opponents think twice about their moves. Roadhog for example, might stop someone from diving their backline and attacking the supports. A good D.Va drastically forces a Pharah to alter the way they play to get any value. Reinhardt using his shield to neutralize an enemy ultimate is another case. By using their abilities and increased health pools to slow down the opposition, Overwatch 2 tanks can get a lot of value, even if they are not getting a ton of eliminations.
Of course, every match is different. Sometimes, the tank diff in Overwatch 2 is real, but probably not as common as you see. There are games that support players deal out healing at a very high rate, but because they aren’t using their other utilities, their team isn’t getting the most value. Even some damage heroes can be extremely useful with low damage numbers. Sombra, for example, thrives by picking off enemies when they are in low health or on their own. If she has the highest damage on your team, something is very wrong.
