Season 18 of Overwatch 2 is introducing one of the biggest changes to its ranked system yet with the arrival of Hero Skill Rating (HSR). Unlike the previous role-based ranking system, where players found themselves under general banners like Support, Tank, or Damage, this system aims at how well players mesh with a particular hero. The change is designed to more accurately represent skill, redefine team strategies, and remove some of the tedium that has long afflicted competitive gameplay.

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How Hero Skill Rating Works

HSR is a specialized score given to every hero in the game between 0 and 5000. In order to get a rating on a particular character, five placement matches need to be completed. Wins obviously increase the score, and losses decrease it. Prior to filling up placements, the game shows a "Predicted SR" so that players have a preliminary idea of where they will end up.

Once a match has begun, the system will follow progress in real time. At the conclusion of each match, players will be able to view SR gained or lost for their top three most-spelled heroes. Full statistics can also be checked in the Career Profile and Competitive Overview sections, providing players with a clear indication of what heroes they are particularly good at and which require improvement.

Why It Matters for Competitive Play

This system for heroes is a major development in competitive equity. Rather than being determined by one rank that encompasses an entire role, teammates will now have a better sense of strengths. For instance, a player could have a Diamond-ranked Ana but only a Platinum-ranked Lucio, which can assist teams in making wiser decisions at hero pick.

It also develops accountability. Smurfing—tanking an account by high-ranked players to get lower-level competition—is going to be more difficult to do because large differences between a hero's rating and the account rank will be easily apparent.

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By focusing on mastery of individual heroes, Blizzard is providing players with more insight, improved feedback, and a more healthy competitive scene. For a lot of people, HSR might be the most significant change to ranked play since Overwatch 2's launch.