The Best Heroes in Overwatch, 10 Years Later

It certainly doesn’t feel like it, but it’s already been 10 years since Blizzard launched Overwatch and practically set a new gold standard for the hero shooter genre. And only those who lived through the intensity of 2016’s multiplayer scene truly know how much of a fever this game was!

Now, a decade later, the game is blowing out its candles with a different kind of energy. After dropping the “2” and returning to its roots, the game has evolved significantly from the version that once beat out titles like Uncharted 4 and Titanfall 2 for Game of the Year in 2016. While some still debate that win, it’s undeniable how much Overwatch shook the industry that year.

That’s why today we’re looking at the character roster that brings life to this chaotic “chess with steroids”, which presents over 50 heroes now (a huge jump from the original 21), meaning that the meta is more complex than ever. So, from classic icons like Tracer and Zarya to newcomers like Emre and Kiriko, here are the 10 best heroes in Overwatch today.

10 Tracer

Cheers, Love!

Even 10 years later and with 50 other heroes competing for the spotlight, Tracer remains the face of Overwatch for a reason – the “poster girl” is still absolutely dominant among DPS picks!

With her classic Blink and Recall abilities, she is still the ultimate flanker in both casual and ranked matches. She excels at diving into the enemy’s backline to cause distractions while dealing a significant burst of damage. This creates the perfect openings for her team to break any enemy formation, provided they are ready to cooperate.

When you analyze her directly, Tracer presents very few weaknesses if played with high mechanical skill. She can dismantle tanks like Reinhardt and Orisa by simply dancing around them, or catch an unsuspecting Mercy in the backline before she can even react. A decade later, she remains as untouchable as ever.

9 Lucio

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Another veteran who is arguably in his best state currently, Lucio can be easily labeled as the best support in the game – and in the most literal sense of “support,” proving that raw healing isn't everything (someone please tell that to the Genji players!).

Jokes aside, his true power comes with an important caveat: it only shines with team communication. Following a Season 2 buff, his Speed Song is being called “broken” by many players who find themselves in teams that actually know how to utilize him correctly.

Basically, this song now grants a baseline 15% attack speed buff, which triples during his Ultimate ability, "Amp It Up." This means that, when correctly coordinated, Lucio transforms his tank into a literal meat grinder! So, if you are playing with a squad that stays talkative on the mic, our favorite Brazilian hero is a mandatory auto-pick.

8 Reaper

Not Even the Grave Can Hold This One

Reaper might divide opinions due to his specialized kit, but he remains a terrifying threat and the king of stealth (sorry, Sombra) in Overwatch until today.

And what makes him a definitive top-tier now is the fact that he has Dire Triggers built into his base kit after the latest hero update, alongside a sweet 3-second cooldown on his escape tools. All these complicated terms mean that now he has more consistent mid-range options in battle, making him an even more decisive closer in the hands of a veteran.

Also, we can’t forget he’s the ultimate lurker around here, farming damage on the edges until he can finally explode and change the course of a match. In the end, he’s a dream to have on your team (especially during Escort maps), but a total nightmare to play against. Hearing his shadowy footsteps still gives me chills. Honestly.

7 Orisa

Don’t Let Her Cute Face Fool You

After undergoing approximately 98,045,693 reworks (seriously, we’ve all lost count by now), Orisa is currently the most solid tank in the game.

And the best part is that she’s friendly enough for new players but becomes a true beast in the hands of a veteran. We’re talking about a hero that can deal consistent, massive damage from the beginning to the end, alongside having an Energy Spear, which shouldn’t be underestimated: it is perfect for pushing back enemy tanks or disrupting a crowded point to give your team room to breathe.

Orisa’s only real flaw is that she can't really solo-carry without a dedicated support in her team. So, if you see a Mercy pocketing an Orisa, you need to take that medic down immediately, no matter what! Otherwise, this combination will give you a massive headache for the entire match.

6 Emre

The Hitscan King

Finally, a fresh face! Emre was added to the roster in early 2026 as part of the Season 1 launch after the game moved away from the “2” branding, and, after some initial balance tweaks, he has claimed his spot as the best hitscan hero for consistent damage.

The main reason for his success is his unique grenades: they provide valuable and often random eliminations. Instead of throwing them directly at your opponent, you need to bounce them off the environment to catch others off guard – and honestly, even Emre mains just toss them into a crowd and hope for the best, and it usually works!

Oh, and another standout is his Ultimate, which essentially turns him into a high-powered, fast-firing Pharah by flying over the scenario while aiming towards desperate enemies on the ground. If used from an unexpected angle or comboed with the team, Emre is a game-changer.

5 Kiriko

Trust in the Kitsune Spirit

We all know that Kiriko often shows a lower win rate in general Overwatch statistics, which sparks some of the most heated debates in the community. However, the secret is that she seems perfectly designed for high-level play and pro games, where she remains absolutely essential among other support heroes.

The main reason for this is her Protection Suzu, which continues to be extremely powerful – and arguably the best support ability in the entire game. It is capable of cleansing practically any debuff, reducing cooldowns, providing brief invulnerability, and boosting movement speed, all while healing the target (which can even be doubled if you successfully cleanse a debuff).

As crazy as it sounds, despite that literally sounding like an Ultimate ability, it isn't! And her actual Ultimate is just as powerful, summoning a spirit fox to pave a path for the team that grants massive buffs to attack speed and cooldown reduction. In the right hands, Kiriko must be feared!

4 Ana

A Mother Knows Best

When it comes to support heroes that can actually lead an offensive charge, Ana remains the premier choice, though it’s a close call between her and Zenyatta, with his powerful Discord orbs and healing.

And the key to her dominance lies in her classic Biotic Grenades. Basically, when tossed at teammates, they provide massive healing, but when they hit enemies, they completely block incoming healing. Also, following the Season 2 updates, the grenade’s cooldown was reduced from 14 to 12 seconds, allowing for much more aggressive plays.

That alone makes Ana capable of delivering a simple, yet deadly combo: anti-heal the enemy tank, call it out to your team, and watch them melt in seconds. The only downside is that she comes with a steep learning curve, since she heals with a sniper rifle, meaning you need some serious mechanical skill to truly make her shine in the heat of battle.

3 Illari

The DPS in Disguise

Is that a support? No! Is that a DPS? Also, no! It’s Illari.

Apologies for digressing, but it’s hard not to lead with that when discussing this hero. When she was first added, the community joked that Blizzard had simply released a DPS character and slapped a "Support" label on her – and honestly, that’s exactly why she’s one of the best in the game right now.

To put her power into perspective: Illari can literally carry ranked matches if you have the aim of a high-tier DPS player. This means that she is arguably the best option for “double flex” compositions, where high utility and serious damage are the priorities. Many even argue she was designed specifically to lure DPS and tank players into the support role because her Pylon allows you to "set and forget" the healing, letting you focus entirely on clicking heads.

Regardless of what the developers intended, she provides a great change of pace by being a support who can actually hold her own in a 1v1 duel.

2 Mauga

Pure Chaotic Power

It took a little while for Mauga to find his footing in the middle of the crowded roster of Overwatch, but once he did, he captured the hearts of tank players everywhere. And it is literally impossible to go through a ranked session without facing him at least a few times.

That’s simply because he offers probably the purest tank experience available, conveying a sense of raw power that no other hero in that role can match. Some even describe his gameplay as “turning off your brain and holding both mouse buttons,” and honestly, they aren't entirely wrong.

Mauga was just designed with a simple, destructive kit. And as long as he’s shooting someone (especially another tank), his survivability is absurd thanks to his passive healing. So he’s definitely one of the strongest (and largest, by the way) presences in the game today.

1 Zarya

The Powerhouse

Since the current balance of Overwatch often favors tanks with high mobility or direct counters, Zarya has emerged as an absolute powerhouse within her role of tank.

With her classic bubbles, she can absorb damage to fuel her own strength, meaning that if the enemy team doesn't put her down quickly, she can completely dominate the match, since a Zarya with high energy is capable of "melting" tanks that rely on projectiles or light shields, such as Ramattra, D.Va, Winston, or Reinhardt. So yeah, definitely a terrifying sight!

Beyond her bubbles, the fact that a portion of her HP is shield-based (which regenerates on its own) also allows her to play extremely aggressively. She can dive in, retreat for three seconds to recover, and jump right back into the fray – and being that kind of “crazy” on the frontline is truly the core experience of a great tank.

Ultimately, if you’re up against a Zarya today, the golden rule remains: either focus her down completely with your team or ignore her entirely. Shooting her bubbles casually will only turn her into an unstoppable monster.