What Happened to Sigma in Overwatch 2? From Meta Tank to Situational Pick ⇒ OverwatchCentral

Once a dominant force in Overwatch 1, Sigma has quietly faded into the shadows of Overwatch 2’s current meta. Even on maps where he used to shine—like Circuit Royal and Havana—he’s now barely picked, with teams instead favoring Ramattra, D.Va, or even Orisa. So what happened to this once-reliable tank? And is Sigma still good at all?

Let’s break down the slow decline of Sigma, what he’s still good at, and whether Blizzard should rework or buff him for the future.

Sigma Was Built for Absorbing Range Damage

At his core, Sigma is excellent at handling long-range pressure. With a combination of:

His barrier
Kinetic Grasp
And strong mid-range poke damage

He can outlast and outduel other tanks in maps with wide sightlines. That’s why he was so effective on maps like Circuit Royal or Havana in both Overwatch 1 and early Overwatch 2.

But in modern Overwatch 2, the game has changed. Teams no longer rely heavily on long-range poke comps. And once fights get close, Sigma’s value drops fast.

Why Sigma Fell Off in 5v5

Sigma thrives in poke compositions, where he can sit back, block damage, and slowly grind down the enemy. But in Overwatch 2, the game leans more toward brawly teamfights and aggressive tempo. That’s a problem for Sigma.

Compared to tanks like Ramattra, who can block while fighting, or D.Va, who can chase down targets, Sigma struggles in close quarters. If he gets pushed, he’s forced to give ground and cycle cooldowns just to survive. Once the enemy is in his face—especially with a Mei wall or Ramattra punch—Sigma’s tools are too slow to keep up.

Even on His Best Maps, He’s Losing

Even in OWCS Stage 2, where you’d expect Sigma to shine, teams are skipping him—even on Circuit Royal, his signature map. Instead, they’re picking brawlers who can actually win close-range fights. And when Sigma does get picked, he often gets mirrored or countered, leading to a constant chain of adaptation where teams eventually just drop him.

It all comes back to one thing: brawl compositions win. And Sigma just can’t keep up.

Brawl > Poke in the Modern Meta

Sigma comps—especially poke variants—get punished by brawl setups that can close the distance fast. It’s a textbook example of why extreme, one-dimensional compositions are risky. Sigma is strong at one thing—ranged damage—but if the enemy refuses to play into it, he’s in trouble.

That’s why teams now only run Sigma when they expect the enemy to play a slow poke comp. Otherwise, they’ll go with more balanced or aggressive tanks like Ramattra, D.Va, or Orisa—tanks that can fight up close and take space.

So Why Was Sigma Ever Meta?

In Overwatch 1, Sigma had Arisa next to him in Double Shield. Arisa covered for his weaknesses and made poke comps feel unkillable. But in Overwatch 2’s solo tank format, those weaknesses are exposed.

Even in Overwatch 2, there was a moment where Sigma Brawl was meta—specifically during the 2023 World Cup. Teams figured out how to brawl with Sigma, not poke, using comps like Sigma + Mei + Bap + Lucio. For a short time, Sigma was even considered the best brawl tank in the game. But that didn’t last long. Once players realized that Ramattra and D.Va were stronger overall, Sigma was phased out again.

Sigma Today: Situational Counterpick

So where does Sigma stand now?

He’s not useless—but he’s extremely situational. He still works as a strong counterpick into full poke or double hitscan comps with supports like Zenyatta and Baptiste. In ranked, where those comps are more common, Sigma can still find success. But in pro play, where teams don’t lean into those extremes, Sigma is rarely worth the risk.

Should Sigma Be Buffed?

This is the big question. Should Blizzard change Sigma to make him better at brawling? Or is it okay for heroes like Sigma to stay specialists, only used in very specific situations?

Bro You Wack believes that while Sigma’s niche is still useful, some minor buffs to help him hold his ground in brawls might be worth exploring. He doesn’t need a full rework—but a little flexibility could go a long way in making him less of a one-trick tank.

Final Thoughts

Sigma’s fall from the meta isn’t because he’s bad—it’s because the game evolved, and he didn’t. His value is still there, but it only shows up when very specific conditions are met. Unless Blizzard makes changes to help him fight more up close, expect Sigma to stay a counterpick tank for niche comps.

Want more breakdowns of hero meta shifts, ranked tips, and Overwatch 2 analysis? Check out OverwatchCentral for the latest.

Source: Ocie 오시

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sigma still good in Overwatch 2?

Sigma is still viable, but only in very specific situations—mainly when the enemy team plays slow, poke-heavy compositions.

Why did Sigma fall out of the meta?

The game now leans toward faster, brawly teamfights. Sigma doesn’t perform well when forced to fight up close, so other tanks like Ramattra and D.Va have taken his place.

What is Sigma still good at?

Sigma is great at absorbing ranged damage and controlling space on long-range maps like Havana and Circuit Royal—if the enemy plays into that style.