Real talk: Everyone hates Genji and we’re all in need of a counter to the annoying ninja of Overwatch 2. While Mr. Shimada is hardly a factor in the professional meta, we all know that has zero effect down in the silver mines where most of us toil. Even a mediocre Genji looks like an unkillable magician to casual players. After all, he’s jumping around and avoiding damage until he can hit the Q button and murder half your team.
Well, no more! Allow esports.gg to shed some un-deflectable light on the dark secrets of Genji mains everywhere and force those chumps to switch over to Reaper before the point ever unlocks.
Genji counters Overwatch 2 basics: Don’t go alone
Sometimes the most effective counters require getting back to basics, which is certainly the case against an aggressive an agile Hero like Genji. The first step is to understand what Genji wants to do and how they want to play. A competent Genji player is looking to do two things: Build meter and gain flanking kills on weak or isolated targets. A skilled Genji player will do this by making the most of Swift Strike, his shift ability that refreshes its cooldown when used to kill a target.
And while nerfed in the November patch, the biggest danger is a Genji not afraid to get in your face and right-click at point-blank range. Genji can eliminate almost every Hero in the game by getting a bunch of right-click Shuriken off, including big bois like Roadhog and Wrecking Ball.
The counter? Sadly, it involves cooperation and team play–two things in short order if you’re playing in Quick Play. Genji loses power when even one ally turns around and focuses fire. Make ample use of the new ping system and if your team isn’t coming to you, go to your team. The 5 v. 5 nature of Overwatch 2 means that your team is far more likely to be grouped up, which is something to use to your advantage.
However, sometimes the best counter is simply a counter-pick.
Don’t be afraid to swap
There’s a lot of big egos out in the gaming world that will try and make you think that switching Heroes is admitting defeat. Those people are wrong and bad. The key to victory in Overwatch 2 is flexibility and that includes a willingness to swap to a Hero with an advantage over an enemy that is dominating.
Lucky for us, Genji has a number of hard counters that range from making his life difficult to being a complete shutdown pick when played correct. Here is a list of Heroes based on type that are the most optimal counters.
Genji counters in Overwatch 2: Tanks
Winston
Mobile, big, and carrying a laser gun, the Monke is the supreme tank counter to Genji. Not only can Winston keep up with Genji in terms of mobility and movement, but he has shorter cooldowns than the ninja. This allows Winston players to punish a Genji that attempts to get away with Swift Strike or dives in alone. The big counter at work is Winston’s Tesla Cannon, which auto-tracks enemies and cannot be deflected or easily avoided by Genji.
Reinhardt
Some were ready to announce Overwatch 2’s Don Quixote dead on arrival in the switch to 5 v. 5, but that is far from the case. The removal of a second tank to keep an eye on and the destruction of the shield meta frees Reinhardt players up to do what he does best: Swing his hammer and contest the middle ground. This also means that Rein is a solid Genji counter for his ability to match up-close aggression with the dive Hero. A proficient Reinhardt player can lock down the enemy as long as you can play around the cooldown on Genji’s Reflect.
The DPS counters
Mei
Gee, it’s a good thing Mei hadn’t been missing from the game for almost a month or it might have given Genji players too much power. The fact is that DPS players are the ones most needed to turn around and assist allies with Genji dives. No damage dealer does it more effectively than Mei. Able to slow and deal damage with a weapon that cannot be dodged, Mei is custom-built to counter Genji at every turn. A well-timed Ice Wall stops a Genji from retreating or diving at eye level, and her Blizzard ultimate counters Dragon Blade. If you’re having Genji problems then get yourself a Mei that can do everything.
Sombra
Once again, this is an obvious pick but it’s hard to ignore just how much an even halfway awake Sombra forces players into paranoia. While there are a number of DPS Heroes with a direct counter to Genji such as Symmetra’s turrets or Reaper’s guns, no other damage dealer provides shut-down support like Sombra. Not only does Hack turn off any dive attempts and essentially put a Discord Orb on Genji, but a good Sombra can essentially play QB spy against the enemy and keep watch. EMP also serves as a fantastic counter to Dragon Blade, as well as you can diamond-hands the ultimate long enough to use it as a counter.
Supports gotta support one another
Brigitte
While not as hard of a counter since the removal of her shield bash stun, Brig is still a frustrating counter for Genji mains. Her ability to heal passively while dealing damage negates much of Genji’s damage value, while her shield dash closes the gap and knocks the Ninja around. In a world where the two supports on a team need to watch each other’s back Brigitte is a fantastic backline pick to keep everyone safe and sound.
Moira
Possessing a kit with a fade and two damage-dealing abilities that zap enemies, it’s difficult not to suggest Moira as a Genji counter. Her entire kit is built to counter the squishy dive Hero, with her right-click sometimes wearing down a Genji before he can even think about escaping from a scrap. The big plus here is Moira’s Fade, which allows her to escape damage situations effortlessly. This includes hitting the shift key as soon as the Dragon Blade audio cue plays, allowing her to get out of dodge safely.
Last words on counters
No counter is a magic bullet and sometimes you’re just going to get outplayed by a great Genji. The only thing left to do at that point is to watch and learn what a Genji wants to accomplish and how they do so. Hopefully, this list of Genji counters in Overwatch 2 provides a starting line for one of the more difficult Heroes to play against at all levels.
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