Match replays are a great way to get a different perspective on your games, and if you dream of playing in Overwatch League Matches in the future or just climb through the ranks, you just need to become a replay viewer.
And so, here's our step-by-step guide on how to watch replays Overwatch:
- Open the game's main menu and select "Career Profile"
- Access "History" from the top options bar in your profile
- Click "Replays" to see your 10 recent matches and outcomes
- Choose a match you want to replay, and select "View" on the bottom bar.
All Overwatch Match Replay Options
If you've ever seen Overwatch League replays or highlights on the Internet, you'll notice the commentators are constantly swapping from player to player, using multiple camera angles and slow motion to capture the most impactful moments from a map. Fortunately, most of these options are available to you as well!
Once you're in the replay viewer, press "N" to open the controls. You will automatically start with a bird's eye view of the map overlay. From there, you can use the media controls to do many different things listed below:
Function | Description | Shorcut/Key |
Interactive Track Slider | Click different times to view fights, play styles, or watch all the way through. | None |
Seek Buttons | Seek backward/forward by 20 seconds. | None |
Pause/Play | Toggle between pausing and playing the replay. | Ctrl + P |
Playback Speed Scroll | Adjust the playback speed (Increase or decrease playback speed). | Mouse Wheel Up & Down |
Spectate Players | Switch to spectate different players. | Media Controls or F1-F11 (Each "F" key for a different player) |
Enable Free Cam | Allows free movement of the camera when spectating a player. | LMB/RMB |
Enable/Disable Spectate Overlay | Toggle the spectate overlay. | None |
Move Camera | Move your camera on a plane. | W, A, S, D |
Move Camera Up & Down | Adjust the camera's vertical position. | Q and E |
Toggle Camera View | Toggle between first person and third person view. | Spacebar |
Jump Camera | Jumps the camera high above the objective. | 0 |
Show Map Overlay | Displays the map overlay. | Ctrl + L |
Save Camera Bookmarks | Save camera position as a bookmark. | Ctrl + 1 - Ctrl + 9 |
Restore Camera Bookmarks | Return to previously saved camera positions. | 1-9 |
You just need to know these commands, as they can significantly impact the conclusions you draw from your team fight by giving you multiple perspectives, but be sure to also use it with the best graphic settings.
It's also worth mentioning that you can also access a complete list of shortcuts and customize your replays experience by going to Options > Controls > Spectate.
All in all, delving into your recent matches can be instrumental in creating highlight footage, showcasing your best plays and game-changing moments. For example, if you are wondering what the best counter for Lucio is in the current metagame, you can analyze playstyle of any enemy Lucio and see what gives him so much power objectively with replays, rather than screaming "omg this Spotify hero is so broken". Moreover, you can also try recording your Overwatch matches while playing, because adding a perspective with a voice chat can help you analyze your thought process during a match.