Five key ways to better control the objective in Overwatch

Overwatch content creator KarQ has created a video explaining five core concepts for objective control.

KarQ is perhaps best known for his series of tips videos which usually focus on covering a single hero, often giving a clever trick for each map with the character in question.

His latest offering, however, takes a more fundamental look at the game, going over concepts around objective play that can be applied to almost any scenario, but which not all players may be aware of – or at least not actively applying in their own play consistently. The video also brings in Overwatch streamer Yeatle, a Wrecking Ball player who has collaborated with KarQ on tips videos in the past.

The principle concept on which most of the video is built is the idea of “defenders’ advantage”. Essentially, defenders’ advantage means that the team defending the objective should be in the stronger position, because it’s easier to predict the opponent’s decisions as you know where they need to go, and defenders can often set up in a way that forces the attacking team to deal with multiple angles, while defenders can focus fire on a single location.

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As KarQ points out, however, “defenders’ advantage” doesn’t always apply to the team that is technically on the defensive side. While neutral objective modes like Control obviously confer defenders advantage to whichever team holds the capture point, in modes like Escort it can be the “attacking” team that has “defenders’ advantage” when they are pushing the payload, as the “defenders” are forced to come to them.

Which team has “defenders’ advantage” can therefore change depending on the map and the relative position of each side, but it’s important not only to recognize which team has the advantage, but also make the most of it when it’s your team.

As well as maximizing your defenders’ advantage, the video also covers other concepts for fighting around objectives, including baiting the objective to improve your chances in situations when you’re at a player deficit, and how to stall most effectively.

While these concepts may be familiar to most players in theory, many could likely benefit from paying attention to the video and trying to consciously implement them into their game – being aware of the ideas is one thing, but the most successful players are often those that act upon them consistently to find every possible advantage.