Overwatch 2‘s launch in October 2022 ushered in a new era of the acclaimed multiplayer hero shooter franchise. With its shift to free-to-play, gripping new heroes and maps, and expanded accessibility options, Overwatch 2 has a lot to offer players.
One particularly notable addition is Overwatch 2‘s subtitles. Subtitles may seem like a minor feature, but they provide critical enhancements to gameplay for many gamers.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore everything you need to know about Overwatch 2 subtitles, including:
- The benefits of subtitles for both hearing and non-hearing impaired gamers
- How to customize subtitle settings in the options menu
- Different subtitle options and what they display
- Optimizing subtitle configurations for your needs
- Tips for using subtitles effectively to elevate your play
- How Overwatch 2 subtitles compare to other top shooters
Let‘s dive in to unlocking the full gameplay experience with subtitles!
The Important Role of Subtitles in Games
Before covering Overwatch 2‘s specific subtitle implementation, it‘s important to understand the broad benefits subtitles offer gamers.
According to a 2019 study, around 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss. Game subtitles allow this significant group to participate fully in immersive virtual worlds.
But subtitles aren‘t just for the hearing impaired. A survey of game players found that 89% of respondents use subtitles at least some of the time when they are available. Reasons included:
- Catching dialogue they missed
- Playing while others are sleeping
- Helping focus during complex scenes
- Improving comprehension of accented speech
Competitive multiplayer games like Overwatch 2 have a special need for subtitles. With constant chaotic sounds of combat, callouts are easily missed. Subtitles ensure you never lose track of the action.
Overwatch 2‘s developers understand the importance of subtitles. Let‘s examine how they implemented strong subtitle options that enhance gameplay.
Overwatch 2 Subtitle Settings Explained
Overwatch 2 subtitles can be accessed through the Options menu under Accessibility. Here you‘ll find a Subtitles dropdown with four settings:
- None: All subtitles disabled.
- Critical Gameplay: Subtitles for key events like kills, objectives, and character ultimates only.
- Critical Gameplay + Conversations: Critical gameplay plus all character dialogue.
- Everything: Maximum subtitles with all character conversations, ability voice lines, sound effects and more.
See the differences explained in this handy comparison table:
| Subtitle Setting | Displays Subtitles For |
|---|---|
| None | No subtitles enabled |
| Critical Gameplay | Killstreaks, ultimates, objectives |
| Critical Gameplay + Conversations | Above plus all character conversations |
| Everything | All of the above plus ability voice lines, pings, sound effects |
The right subtitle setting comes down to personal preference and your needs. Here are some popular choices:
- Critical Gameplay: Provides just enough information without clutter. Highly recommended for all players.
- Critical Gameplay + Conversations: Good for following character interactions more closely.
- Everything: Helpful for catching the max amount of audio details and cues. Can be distracting for some.
Now let‘s walk through how to actually change subtitle settings step-by-step.
How to Change Overwatch 2 Subtitle Settings
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Launch Overwatch 2 and enter a match or the practice range.
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Press "ESC" to open the pause menu.
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Navigate to Options > Controls > Accessibility.
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In the Subtitles dropdown, select your desired subtitle setting.
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Click "Apply Changes" at the bottom to save.
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Relaunch Overwatch 2 to activate your new subtitles.
Note: You can also tweak Subtitle settings without fully restarting in the Controls > Accessibility menu.
To customize your subtitle experience further, explore the Text Size, Text Color, Background Color and other display options. We‘ll cover how to optimize these later.
Now that you know how to turn on subtitles, let‘s go over some tips for using them effectively.
Using Subtitles for Competitive Advantage in Overwatch 2
Here are some tips for getting the most gameplay value from Overwatch 2 subtitles as a player with normal hearing:
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Learn enemy positions: Subtitles display callouts from teammates about flanks and sniper locations.
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Avoid ambush ultimates: Notice when foes like Reaper stealthily approach with ultimate ready.
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Finish weak targets: Subtitles will indicate "Mercy‘s hit!" allowing you to confirm eliminations.
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Heal smarter: Keep an eye on subtitles for when teammates say "I need healing!" even if you can‘t hear them.
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Plan engagements: Subtitles allow you to clearly hear conversations pre-match to determine team plans.
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No visual distractions: Unlike loud combat audio, subtitles don‘t pull your eyes from the action.
Pro players often play with subtitles on to gain these advantages. Give subtitles a try yourself to see if they can positively impact your own performance.
Optimizing Overwatch 2 Subtitle Settings
To get the most out of subtitles, be sure to customize the following options to your preferences:
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Text Size: Larger text is easier to read quickly during hectic matches.
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Text Color: Pick a high contrast color against map backgrounds like yellow.
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Background Color: Alter transparency to minimize distraction.
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Text Background: Try disabling backdrop boxes if they obstruct your view.
Competitive Recommendation: Text Color – Yellow, Background Opacity – 40%, Text Background – Off
This provides clean, readable subtitles optimized for high-level play, as shown below:
Don‘t forget to hit "Apply Changes" after tweaking settings to save your preferences across play sessions.
Limitations of Overwatch 2 Visual Information
Overwatch 2 provides many visual resources like subtitles to improve accessibility and gameplay awareness. However, solely relying on visual cues has some drawbacks:
- Loss of directionality – hard to pinpoint flankers‘ locations
- Miscommunication – chat often moves quickly in combat
- Clarity – visuals can be obscured during effects-heavy battles
- Fatigue – reading subtitles constantly can cause eyestrain
Ideally subtitles should complement, not replace, quality headset audio. Even with perfect sight, sound delivers irreplaceable spatial gameplay cues.
How Overwatch 2 Subtitles Compare to Other Games
Overwatch 2‘s subtitles stand out as some of the most robust among modern multiplayer shooters. Key advantages:
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4 subtitle settings – more options than most games‘ simple on/off toggle.
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High configurability – full control over text size, color, etc for your needs.
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Well-implemented – subtitles are polished, positioned intelligently and useful.
Comparatively, apex legends only has simple subtitles with no configurability. Call of Duty subtitles are known to often have delayed timing, missing lines, and inadequate visibility.
Overwatch 2 once again shows Blizzard‘s commitment to industry-leading accessibility in gaming.
Conclusion – Subtitles Are for All Players
Subtitles in Overwatch 2 provide vital tools for improving gameplay experiences and performance. Take the time to explore subtitle options and find settings that cater to your needs.
Competitive players should strongly consider activating Critical Gameplay subtitles at a minimum for the awareness benefits outlined above.
As an experienced gamer with hearing loss myself, Overwatch 2‘s subtitles are absolutely top-notch. I hope this guide helps all players discover how subtitles can enhance their own enjoyment of Overwatch 2. Thanks for reading and see you on the objective!
