What Does “Diff” Mean in Overwatch 2? (Term Explained)

It doesn’t take long playing Overwatch 2 or watching OW streams to hear the term “diff”. Below, we’ll explain exactly what this means in the context of Overwatch (and other video games).

What Does Diff Mean in  Overwatch 2

“Diff” is short for difference. In Overwatch 2, the term is generally used to indicate a difference in the abilities of a role between two teams. If someone says “tank diff”, they mean that one team’s tank played or is playing far better than the tank on the other team, and that’s the reason for the winning team’s success.

This term is also frequently used to describe the difference between two players on different teams using the same Overwatch 2 hero. “Tracer diff” means the person speaking thinks one team’s Tracer outperformed the other.

• DPS diff – One team’s DPS player or players are better than the other team’s, and this is why the winning team is successful.
• Support diff – One team’s support player or players are better than the other team’s, and this is why the winning team is successful.
• Tank diff – One team’s tank player is better than the other team’s, and this is why the winning team is successful.

Usually, a person using “diff” is trying to assign blame or credit for why their team won or lost a match. If someone writes or says “DPS diff” after a game, they’re either trying to credit the winning team’s DPS role or blaming the losing team’s DPS role (or both).

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The Term Comes From League of Legends

“Diff” was first commonly used in League of Legends, another popular team video game, to describe the differences in abilities between roles.

The term lends itself to any video game where competing teams consist of players playing the same roles.

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