Did you know one of Overwatch’s handiest PvE features can be enabled in Overwatch 2’s PvP?

There have been some rather unpopular changes in the way surveillance 2 makes your user interface. Whether it’s the options menu being moved to a harder-to-find spot on the main menu or the lack of comment cards at the end of a round, it’s safe to say that Blizzard really hasn’t quite nailed the landing with UI and UX in the new game.

But for all the initial problems, there are also some bonuses. Choose the option to enable the “Play sound when a teammate is eliminated” setting in the audio options. It may sound horrible (spoiler: it is!) but when you’re ankle-deep in melee around a checkpoint, sometimes you just need the short, high-pitched warble of an emergency siren to let you know ‘yes, that Tracer is down again.’

I collected the tip from pc gamer yesterday, and after playing a few games last night, I have to say: this could be a game changer for me! I mostly play support (thanks later), and knowing that the tank I just healed up is finally down the second I walk away without having to do the little radial scan of the screen is great. It frees me up to instantly start buffing Widowmaker who I know has an Ult almost ready to go.

Take a look at the screenshot below to see where you can find it in your menu.

Previously, this death horn was only available in limited-time PvE events (such as the Bride of Junkenstein in the now-maligned Halloween Terror event that just started this week in Overwatch 2). By making it available in PvP as well, it frees up your eyes and reaction times and frees you from being so reliant on the kill feed when, frankly, you have more important things to deal with.

For many players, the siren itself will be a wake-up call to back off; a quick, easy-to-hear bleat that says ‘oop, this boost has failed’. Even if you don’t think it will help you much, I encourage you to give it a try for a game or two and see if it helps. Regardless of your role (tank, support, DPS), it’s a useful little extra comment that can really do you a favor in those moments when every second and ounce of your attention counts.

If you need more Overwatch content to help you while you’re waiting in line for a support to join, why not read up on what issues all heroes probably have, how NVIDIA Reflex could change the game?