Vortex Gaming

· This is the first tier list video since the major changes in Overwatch 2 in 2026, and with endless updates planned for this year, the video's lifespan is expected to be short.
· Thanks to AI analysis technology, more accurate and faster meta analysis is possible than before, and meta analysis dealing with data statistics will be conducted approximately every 10 days.
· The tier list is created based on a 'meta index' calculated with a 7:3 weighted average of pick rates and win rates provided by official statistics.
· Meta index scores can be distributed into tiers using approximate guides of 40, 30, 24, and 20 points.
· According to average statistics from the past 6 months, the 'only use the good ones' phenomenon was very severe in high-tier ranks (Master and above), with three dominant support heroes.

· Currently, there isn't a significant performance gap between heroes in low tiers, with an average meta index of 21.89 (down 0.8 from Season 20) and a standard deviation of 5.3, the lowest among the three tier divisions.
· Key hero characteristics are as follows:

Category	Details
Ana	Still number 1, but the 'concentration phenomenon' has significantly improved.
Moira	Unlike high-tier C-grade (19.8 points), she is low-tier A-grade (30 points), making her the top low-tier hero among all heroes. Her overall healing reduction and 'Duty Calls' passive effect give her high base stats and good performance.
Illari	Effectively A-tier, but a downward trend continues, making it difficult for her to maintain 30 points.
Sigma	After being strong last season, he was nerfed to A-tier, but is trending upwards after the mid-season patch. His powerful healing reduction ability is leading to a resurgence of the Season 9 dive meta.
Soldier: 76	Maintains his position as the top low-tier DPS, but his chart trend continues to decline.
Reaper	Like Moira and Soldier, he shows good numbers in low tiers, and his performance is even better this season with the healing reduction passive. This might be his all-time high season, and his metrics are also good in mid and high tiers.
Junkrat	Similar to Moira and Soldier, he is a low-tier hero with low usage in higher tiers. His double jump movement is presumed to act as an evasion ability in low tiers.
Bastion	A low-tier hero with B-grade in low tiers and D-grade in high tiers, but his trend is not good even in low tiers this season.
Orisa	Unlike mid/high-tier C-tier, she is B-tier only in low tiers, and her chart trend is good.

· Looking at the main heroes in low-tier A-tier and above, the current Overwatch meta is a 'survivability meta'.
· Heroes who can survive well on their own without team assistance (Soldier, Reaper, Moira, Sigma, Illari) are strong.
· Tank heroes with high base stats like Ramattra, Roadhog, and Mauga are also showing a slight upward trend with buffs.

· Heroes whose standing doesn't differ much from low tiers will be omitted.
· Key hero characteristics are as follows:

Category	Details
Winston	Reached his highest point in mid-tier since statistics began, and compared to Season 19's top-ranked players, this might be an all-time high meta for him. With his health, barrier, and instant mobility for damage evasion, he is in a very good position, showing S-tier performance in high tiers.
Doomfist	He usually holds this position in mid-tier, and this season is not particularly good for him. The trend is similar in high tiers.
Ramattra & Roadhog	The upward trend seen in low tiers continues in mid-tiers, showing potential for B-tier.
Genji	A unique case where he is C-tier (23 points) in high and low tiers, but A-tier only in mid-tier. This phenomenon has always been present for Genji.

· The mid-tier tank meta has a unique 'stagnant' feel, and the rock-paper-scissors and orthodox/unorthodox playstyle limitations are still valid.
· To put it positively, it feels like a golden balance has been achieved, and even A-tier is faint, making it a position where pure skill is crucial.
· The mid-tier DPS meta is focused on main DPS, with a concentration on main DPS, similar to low tiers but without Reaper and Illari.
· Echo and Hanzo, who require high proficiency, have risen slightly, but the overall feeling is not much different from low tiers.

· The severe concentration phenomenon in the support meta over the past 6 months is manifesting as a 'balloon effect'.
· After the release of 5 new heroes, the overall average meta index dropped by about 1 point, but supports specifically dropped sharply by -1.7 points (DPS -1 point, Tanks -0.7 points).
· 2026 Overwatch is a 'Support Meta Upheaval Period'.
· Key support hero characteristics are as follows:

Category	Details
Lifeweaver	A main hero from mid-tier upwards, but his standing has decreased compared to the previous season. He is B-tier in low tiers, A-tier in mid-tiers, and S-tier in high tiers, making him a high-tier specialized hero. The new character hype has subsided, and an upward trend continues; his basic skill set value is very high, so he could become a 'free win' hero.
Illari & Brigitte	Both heroes show more specialized metrics in high tiers, and despite several adjustments, their meta index remains solid.

· Lifeweaver, Illari, and Brigitte – this A-tier support lineup is currently the core of Overwatch.
· All of them are new heroes, capable of showing significant skill differentiation, and are very effective picks in the current game meta.
· Looking at the standing of new heroes since Overwatch 2's launch, the support position has the best hit rate.
· New tank heroes (Junker Queen, Hazard, Ramattra, Mauga) all fell to the bottom, and new DPS heroes (Ashe, Sojourn) tend to be overshadowed by Tracer.
· Support is the most flexible position, and all new supports except Lifeweaver are considered successful designs.
· Until 2025, support balance was less impactful, but with Illari and Lifeweaver's emergence in 2026, the impact became even stronger.
· This is a realistic meta analysis, and the focus on the support position is an unavoidable phenomenon.

· In high-tier ranks, the S-tier heroes we are familiar with continue to maintain their positions.
· Key hero characteristics are as follows:

Category	Details
Tanks	Winston and Sigma are definitely in the A-tier range, and Winston could even reach S-tier considering his trend. Wrecking Ball seems likely to reach A-tier based on his trend, and currently has the best metrics among tank heroes.
DPS	Tracer, Cassidy, and Ashe are confirmed S-tier, while Sojourn maintains A-tier. Tracer has an overwhelming disparity between high-tier (S-grade 40 points) and low-tier (C-grade 19 points).
Supports	Ana, Kiriko, Lifeweaver, and Illari all hold valid positions. However, the 'tyranny' of the four support heroes has significantly weakened, and the support meta has clearly improved.

· The high-tier meta shows signs of game stagnation.
· Ranking heroes that perform well only in higher ranks shows the top 5 key heroes, and nerfs to high-tier heroes could negatively impact low tiers.
· D-tier also exists in high tiers, and with a standard deviation of 7.49, the largest among the three ranks, hero performance gaps are greater in high tiers.
· Heroes that showed significant changes in the top ranks are as follows:

Category	Details
Ashe	Dropped two grades from S to B, significantly overshadowed by Cassidy.
Baptiste	Dropped from A to B, directly hit by the dispersion of the support pie.
Sigma & D.Va	The impact of recent nerfs was clearly visible.
Ramattra & Roadhog	Unlike low/mid-tiers, their fundamental standing is low, with no significant increase, as they are not high-tier heroes.
Symmetra & Torbjörn	These heroes had a brief moment in the spotlight over the past 6 months, and a continuous decline is ongoing.

· The current Overwatch meta is more balanced than ever.
· The standard deviation has decreased across all ranks compared to the previous season, and the developers have successfully navigated the major upheaval of the healing reduction meta.
· Users are also effectively utilizing new heroes, indicating that Overwatch is currently in a very healthy state.