How to See Ping in Overwatch 2? Overwatch 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to Blizzard’s team-based competitive shooter Overwatch. The game is fast-paced and requires quick reflexes and low latency for optimal performance. Knowing your in-game ping is vital to gauge how responsive the gameplay feels and if you are experiencing any lag. Unlike other popular shooters, there is no always-visible ping counter in Overwatch 2. But the game does provide a way to enable ping display as needed. Here is how to see your ping in Overwatch 2 on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
Table of Contents
Ping Basics
Ping represents network latency, which is the time taken for data packets to transmit back and forth from your computer to the game server. It is measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower ping means lower delay, which gives you a responsive, lag-free gaming experience. High ping leads to delayed reaction times, rubberbanding and other issues. You want your Overwatch 2 ping to be as low as possible, ideally under 60ms.
Enable Performance Stats
Overwatch 2 has a performance stats overlay which can display real-time ping, framerate (FPS), GPU temps and more. To enable it:
- Launch Overwatch 2 and press ESC to access the menu
- Go to Options > Video > Scroll down to Display Performance Stats
- Turn it On to show performance metrics on the top left corner of your screen
This will overlay basic stats like FPS and Render Latency. But it doesn’t show ping yet.
Display Network Latency
Now within the Display Performance Stats section, toggle the “Show Network Latency” setting to On. This specifically enables ping display within the performance overlay.
Your ping in milliseconds now appears in square brackets [] next to the FPS counter. Monitor this during games to track latency and any sudden ping spikes.
Network Latency on Consoles
The above method applies to the PC version. On consoles, access the Options menu, go to Controls > Advanced Controls > Display Performance Stats and toggle Show Network Latency to On. This displays ping in the top left corner on Xbox, PlayStation and Switch when playing Overwatch 2.
Interpreting Ping Values
With ping visible, you can better understand your network experience:
- 0 to 30ms: Excellent ping, extremely responsive
- 30 to 60ms: Good ping, minimal delay
- 60 to 100ms: Fair ping, occasional lag
- 100 to 150ms: Mediocre ping, reduced performance
- 150ms+: Poor ping, severe latency issues
If your Overwatch 2 ping is consistently over 100ms, you will face lag and should troubleshoot your network.
Connection Icons
In addition to numeric ping values, Overwatch 2 shows visual connection quality icons in-game:
- Full bars: Excellent connection
- 3 bars: Good connection
- 2 bars: Fair connection
- 1 bar: Poor connection
So both the bars and ping values help assess your gameplay experience. Enable them both.
Causes of High Ping
Some common reasons for getting high ping in Overwatch 2 include:
- Slow or unstable internet connection
- WiFi instability causing lag spikes
- ISP throttling bandwidth during peak hours
- Server distance too far away
- Background downloads and programs consuming bandwidth
- Outdated network drivers causing packet loss
- Faulty routers, modems or cables
Address these potential issues to lower Overwatch 2 ping.
Final Thoughts
Being able to view your current ping in milliseconds is vital to diagnosing latency and lag problems in a fast-paced competitive game like Overwatch 2. Thankfully, the game provides an easy way to overlay this metric. Just enable the performance stats, turn on network latency and you will be able to monitor your ping in real-time. Keep an eye on ping values and connection icons during play to react to any latency issues impacting your gameplay.
How to See Ping in Overwatch 2 FAQ
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Does Overwatch 2 show ping by default?
No, you have to manually enable the performance stats overlay and turn on network latency display.
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What ping is considered good for Overwatch 2?
Any ping under 60ms is considered decent. Below 30ms is excellent and gives very responsive gameplay.
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Can I see ping on console versions of OW2?
Yes, just enable Show Network Latency under options like on PC. It displays in the top left.
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Why is my OW2 ping high even though internet speed is good?
WiFi instability, bandwidth throttling by ISP, distance to servers etc. can cause high latency.
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Will upgrading to fiber internet improve Overwatch 2 ping?
Fiber will help improve ping stability and reduce spikes. But distance to servers remains the biggest factor.