Overwatch 2 Push game mode: How to play, strategy, gameplay, more

Overwatch 2 will feature a brand new PvP game mode called Push, where players fight over control over a giant robot pushing two walls around the map. But, there’s much more to it than that and hopefully, this guide can prepare you for its debut.

During the Overwatch League (OWL) Grand Finals, fans were given a first look at pros competing on an early build of Overwatch 2.

In this exhibition match, we got a good look at one of the sequel’s new maps, Rome, as well as the new game mode coming to OW2. Push is unlike anything OW fans are used to thus far, featuring a near-constantly moving objective, and it takes fights to every corner of the map.

Overwatch 2 Push game mode explained

Each Push map is a max of 8 minutes long, with potential added time in the event of Overtime triggering. A team wins by pushing the robot, named T.W.O., all the way to the final checkpoint, or simply farther than the other team before time runs out. This means that drawing here should be impossible.

A round begins with each team spawning on opposite sides of the map, with the robot standing in the middle along a path. After the spawn door unlocks, the round officially begins.

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At this point, the robot is stationary and remains so for the first 30 seconds of a round until it is “unlocked” and able to be moved. At that point, teams will fight, attempting to acquire and maintain sole control of the area, much like players will be used to on Payload maps.

The image below shows what it looks like when it’s contested, just seconds after being unlocked.

Moving the robot in Push

Following this initial skirmish, one team will likely take control and begin pushing T.W.O. forward.

Much like a Payload, the speed at which it moves is correlated with the number of players standing around the objective. The more people you commit to it, the faster it moves. If no one is around the robot, it stands still.

In the image below, the blue team is pushing the robot ahead towards the first “tick” on the objective HUD at the top of the screen. That tick represents a checkpoint that will advance the spawn point of the team, allowing them to stay in the fight more frequently.

Regaining ground in Push

When one team is advancing the robot to a new area, the speed at which it moves is slower than when a team is regaining ground.

In the former, the robot will be pushing a wall, which slows it down. In the latter, it will be walking without having to push anything, hence the faster speed.

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For instance, the speed that T.W.O. is moving in the image above is slower than it would be if the red team were to win a fight, take control, and begin moving the objective back towards the middle of the map.

This speedier recovery should help prevent rounds from snowballing out of control, forcing one team to completely dominate in order to net a landslide win. The faster recovery can be seen below.

Winning a round of Overwatch 2’s Push

When push comes to shove, and the time limit is up, the team with the most progress gained will be crowned victorious.

Overtime will trigger in the event that the robot has not reached either end of the map. In this case, the losing team will have a chance to continue contesting the objective for a last-ditch effort of pushing it farther than the other team. If they leave or are eliminated, the map will end and the team that had the longest distance at the top of the screen will win.

An example of Overtime triggering can be seen below, as the red team desperately attempts to push the robot the final few meters to win the match and defeat the blue team.

Overwatch 2 Push strategy and playstyle

While there is not a large sample size to work from, Push looks to be a mode that favors mobility and a team’s ability to move in tandem with one another.

On the one hand, a team must be able to have enough force to stay on the objective to net solid progress. Because the objective is dynamic and there likely won’t be reoccurring battle areas of the map, a mobile, perhaps even dive comp, will help a team to adapt and gain advantage wherever they are on the map.

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Whatever the case, Push looks to be a fun and dynamic game mode in Overwatch 2 that will keep fights interesting and put the new 5v5 player limit to the test.

For a first-hand look at how Push plays, be sure to check out the recent OWL exhibition match that took place in Rome, as well as the PVP preview that took place in the Summer of 2021. This featured the new Toronto map.