Summary
Blizzard’s two latest releases, Overwatch 2andDiablo 4, share a lot more in common than fans might think despite being from vastly different genres of games. WithOverwatch 2being a hero shooter andDiablo 4being an ARPG, the main source of similarities comes from the archetypes their characters fall into.Diablo 4may only have five classes compared toOverwatch 2’s roster of 37 heroes, but each hero plays very differently with a few fitting surprisingly well into the same archetypes asDiablo 4’s classes.
Overwatch 2andDiablo 4have both faced controversy in the time since release, with many players unhappy withOverwatch 2’s new free-to-play model andDiablo 4players disappointed with the game’s Season 1 update. Despite these grievances, both games have garnered massive fan bases, demonstrating just how well-designed their characters and worlds are. The fact that there is such overlap betweenDiablo 4’s classes andOverwatch 2’s heroes is a testament to Blizzard’s character design philosophy.
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Barbarian – Reinhardt
Overwatch 2’s Reinhardt fits in the same heavy-hitting tank archetype asDiablo 4’s Barbarianclass. Both of these characters excel in using powerful melee weapons but struggle to deal damage at a distance. Additionally, they both have a Charge ability that helps them close the gap on enemies to make up for this poor range, while also providing support for teammates in the form of a shield in Reinhardt’s case and buffs like Rallying Cry and War Cry for the Barbarian.
Rogue – Hanzo/Genji
The Shimada brothers Hanzo and Genji ofOverwatch 2fulfill the classic agile dexterity-focused archetype thatDiablo 4’s Roguedoes. While the Rogue has the ability to use both One-Handed Swords and Daggers, as well as Bows and Crossbows,Overwatch 2splits this archetype in two with Hanzo being the bow master and Genji a user of the sword. Both characters still have a high degree of maneuverability to offset their frail defenses, much likeDiablo 4’s Rogue.
Druid – Ramattra
Similarly to the Barbarian,Diablo 4’s Druid is a tanky class that shares a lot in common with another one ofOverwatch 2’s tanks, Ramattra. Although the Druid is a master of nature magic and Ramattra is a mechanical Omnic, they both fulfill the shapeshifter archetype with the Druid having the ability to shift into a Werewolf or Werebear and Ramattra being able to shift into his Nemesis form. Ramattra also has both ranged and melee skills much like the well-rounded skill set of the Druid.
Necromancer – Symmetra
While it might seem like Reaper would fit in with the same skeletal aesthetic asDiablo 4’s Necromancer,Overwatch 2’s Symmetra is actually a much closer comparison. Both of these characters fit into the traditional summoner archetype, with Symmetra able to create turrets to fight for her and the Necromancer able to resurrect skeletal minions to fight by their side. Symmetra even gains the moniker of The Summoner duringOverwatch 2’s Halloween event game mode Junkenstein’s Revenge: Wrath of the Bride.
Sorcerer – Zenyatta
Diablo 4’s Sorcerer is a very heavy magic-focused class, and whileOverwatch 2’s Zenyattawalks a fine line between magic and science with the abilities granted to him by the Iris, they both fulfill the traditional glass cannon archetype. Although Zenyatta is a healer inOverwatch 2, he has the potential to deal a high degree of damage when his Orbs of Destruction are paired with his Orb of Discord. The Sorcerer inDiablo 4is in a similar position with powerful skills like Ice Shards and Chain Lightning, but both they and Zenyatta are very frail defensively and benefit from tank support to optimize their offensive potential.
Diablo 4is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
