How to Fix Rubberbanding in Overwatch 2

How to Fix Rubberbanding in Overwatch 2? Overwatch 2 is the highly anticipated successor to Blizzard’s popular team-based shooter, Overwatch. The new game brings a shift to 5v5 gameplay along with new heroes, maps and game modes. However, some players have reported performance issues like rubberbanding after Overwatch 2’s launch. Rubberbanding is a form of lag where your character appears to sporadically jump backwards as you move, due to high latency and packet loss. This can severely impact your aiming and movement. Luckily, there are various solutions to fix Overwatch 2 rubberbanding.

Fixing Rubberbanding in Overwatch 2

Check Your Internet Connection

The first step is ensuring your internet connection is stable with low latency. Use a wired ethernet connection from your router if possible, as WiFi can be inconsistent. Power cycle your modem and router to clear any glitches. Ensure no bandwidth heavy downloads or streams are running in the background. Run a speedtest to check your ping – lower than 60ms is optimal for competitive gaming. Contact your ISP if you face frequent disconnections or lag spikes. Getting a stable, low latency internet connection is key to fixing Overwatch 2 rubberbanding.

Update Network Drivers

Outdated network drivers can degrade online performance leading to rubberbanding. Keep your network adapter drivers updated, especially after a major Windows update:

  • Open Device Manager on Windows
  • Expand Network Adapters
  • Right click your adapter and select Update driver
  • Search automatically for updated driver software online
  • Restart your PC after installing updated drivers

Updated network drivers can resolve compatibility issues and rubberbanding in Overwatch 2.

Adjust In-Game Video Settings

Graphics settings that are too taxing on your hardware can cause rubberbanding. Lower quality options like textures, shadows and effects while keeping resolution high:

  • Set Texture Quality to Medium
  • Texture Filtering Quality to 2X or 4X
  • Local Fog Detail to Low
  • Dynamic Reflections to Off
  • Shadow Detail to Medium
  • Model Detail to Medium
  • Effects Detail to Low
  • Resolution Scale to 100%

This reduces strain on your GPU and RAM to run Overwatch 2 smoothly without rubberbanding on most systems.

Disable Background Apps

Too many applications and processes running in the background consume CPU and memory resources. Close non essential apps before launching Overwatch 2:

  • Use Task Manager to disable startup items
  • Temporarily turn off antivirus scans
  • Disable software like Discord, Origin or Epic Games Launcher
  • Browsers, media players and other programs also take up resources

Freeing up memory and CPU usage can significantly reduce rubberbanding issues in Overwatch 2.

Change Router QoS Settings

Quality of Service (QoS) settings in gaming routers prioritize network bandwidth for your PC and Overwatch 2 traffic. This lessens rubberbanding and lag issues. Enable QoS on your router:

  • Access your router admin console and find QoS settings
  • Set your PC’s IP address as high priority
  • Enter Overwatch 2’s ports: 3724, 6113, 80, 443, 6000-6005
  • Save settings and test Overwatch 2 to see if rubberbanding improves

With QoS, your gaming network data gets transmitted faster reducing latency spikes.

Scan and Repair Game Files

Corrupted Overwatch 2 game files can manifest as performance issues like rubberbanding. Scan and repair through Battle.net desktop app to fix damaged files:

  • Open Battle.net and click Overwatch 2
  • Select Options icon > Scan and Repair
  • Start the scanning process and wait for it to finish
  • Corrupted files will be redownloaded fixing rubberbanding

Repairing Overwatch 2 forces re-installation of modified game files, resolving conflicts.

Update Graphics Drivers

Use the latest Nvidia or AMD drivers optimized for Overwatch 2, as outdated graphics drivers cause rubberbanding:

  • For Nvidia cards, install Game Ready Driver 522.25 or newer
  • For AMD cards, install Adrenalin 22.10.1 driver or later
  • Use GeForce Experience or Radeon Software to update
  • Restart your PC after installing latest graphics drivers

Newer drivers improve Overwatch 2 compatibility and performance, reducing rubberbanding.

Lower Graphic Settings Further

If the above steps don’t fix Overwatch 2 rubberbanding, continue lowering graphic options for smoother gameplay:

  • Resolution can be dropped below native (1080p or lower)
  • Reduce Render Scale below 100% if needed
  • Texture Filtering to 1X – Performance
  • All Shadows Off
  • Lighting Quality to Low
  • Model Detail Low or Off
  • Effects and Post Processing Off

Lowering resolution and settings will ease load on your GPU, minimizing rubberbanding issues.

Perform Windows Network Reset

As a last resort, resetting Windows network settings may resolve persistent Overwatch 2 rubberbanding not fixed by above solutions:

  • Go to Windows Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced Network Settings
  • Under More Networking Settings, select Network Reset
  • Follow prompts to reset and reinstall all network adapters
  • Restart PC when done and test Overwatch 2

This reverts any faulty network configurations causing lag and rubberbanding.

In summary, troubleshoot your network connection first before tweaking Overwatch 2 settings to eliminate rubberbanding. Reduce graphic options, update drivers, reset network settings and scan/repair game files. With some testing, you should be able to find the right combination of solutions to enjoy smooth lag-free gameplay in Overwatch 2.

How to Fix Rubberbanding in Overwatch 2 FAQ

  1. Does high ping cause rubberbanding in Overwatch 2?

    Yes, high latency and packet loss leads to rubberbanding as data flow gets interrupted.

  2. Will upgrading RAM help fix OW2 rubberbanding?

    Upgrading RAM can help if you don’t meet minimum requirements. But network issues usually cause rubberbanding.

  3. Is Wifi more likely to cause rubberbanding vs ethernet?

    Yes, WiFi is prone to interference leading to inconsistent speeds. Ethernet provides more stable connectivity.

  4. Can using a VPN cause rubberbanding in Overwatch 2?

    Yes, VPNs can sometimes increase your ping leading to lag and rubberbanding issues.

  5. Will lowering graphic settings reduce OW2 rubberbanding?

    Yes, lowering quality options reduces load on your GPU, improving performance and reducing rubberbanding.

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