As the community goes into Overwatch two, it brings into perspective the players that brought certain heroes into prominence. Winston, the scientist, with his tesla gun had his place in many compositions, most notably Dive. Winston has been a hero that needs coordination with their team but also can make carry heavy moments in a match. Here is a look at four Korean Winston players who defined Winston in Overwatch 1.
Photo: Robert Paul/Blizzard Entertainment
It would be a disservice not to start with Miro. He was first a part of Lunatic-Hai during the APEX tournament days where he won back-to-back seasons. What shot his name into the global stage was the first Overwatch World Cup. There he gained the first title of Overwatch World Cup MVP. That was largely in part because of his Winston play. He had spots, where he would get to, that people didn’t even know existed. Miro is the player that popularized the aggressive Winston playstyle in a hard carry way.
He was able to make situations work because of his trust in his teammates as well as his mechanical prowess. On stream, he mentioned that some of his amazing Winston primal rages were fat fingers, but he was able to save the situation by getting those kills off of the ultimate.
Because of his Overwatch World Cup performance and success on Winston in tournaments he became a highly studied Winston player. Many current main tanks mention Winston as a player that they have studied in the past. Once his Winston play got torn apart in VODs and play analysis he was easier to read in-game, which brought on struggling in matches. Players mentioned later in this article will have adapted Miro’s take of Winston, but keep that aggressive style that he popularized.
2019-04-11 – Overwatch League 2019 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
Mano is on the other end of the spectrum. His Winston playstyle is more defensive than aggressive. He was seen in the APEX tournaments with AF. Blue and LW Blue, but it wasn’t until Season 2 that he started on main tank (previously he was a main support!). In 2017 he also represented South Korea in the Overwatch World Cup where he won 1st place. He was on the roster with NYXL for many seasons before joining the Philadelphia Fusion.
Throughout this time he has been the Winston that has stayed the most consistent. He may not have had as high highs or low lows as some of the other players on this list, but he was dependable as a Winston player. His ability to survive was of massive value to his teams. He was able to make space for this team as well as had a good reading of when to counter dive. He has shown that it isn’t just with one team that he is good but Mano is able to adapt to the players around him.
;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foverwatchleague.com%2Fen-us%2Fnews%2F21700681%2F
Fissure is a player that has been on many teams throughout his career as he brings huge potential. He takes Miro’s aggressive Winston play style and makes it even more aggro. His hyper aggression means that he is a huge playmaker, but also can get punished. He was twice in the APEX finals as well as being a part of some top-tier Overwatch League teams. He is best well known for his aggressive ultimates that can turn the tide of any fight. Because he is so aggressive, a team many times needs to be built around him. In a map, he is able to open it up to the rest of his team to make plays. It isn’t odd to see Fissure flanking by himself on a map, which can leave his team vulnerable.
Image provided by: Blizzard Entertainment
Fearless has said that the main tank role is one of a sword and shield. He plays selflessly for his team, but at the same time will take opportunities presented to him to shine. He is a combination of all the Winston players mentioned before. He has Miro’s aggressive playstyle, but like Mano is mindful of his need and their needs. He will take the huge risks to make the flashy plays like Fissure.
His career in Overwatch hasn’t been as linear as the others. He started with Element Mystic, was signed to Shanghai in Season 1, but then moved to their contender’s team. His redemption arc began after he was resigned to Shanghai and his latest team is the Dallas Fuel which is a reunion of sorts of Element Mystic of the past. During that time he has built his playstyle and mastery of not just Winston but also the other main tanks. His Winston is the end result of many of the Winstons before him in the Overwatch 1 saga.
Of course, there are so many other tanks that could be mentioned in relation to Winston. To think about what players shaped the heroes is to also think what heroes shaped the players. With the fond look back at how Overwatch 1 shaped both heroes and players, it will be fun to see who will step up to craft a hero playstyle identity for Overwatch 2.
Follow The Game Haus for more sports and esports coverage:
Twitter: TGH Esports
Facebook: The Game Haus
For more high-quality esports analysis and memes, check out Lauren’s Twitter, @Daebakowl
“From Our Haus to Yours”
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
