5 best Overwatch 2 heroes to counter Genji

It's essential to know about the heroes capable of countering Genji in Overwatch 2. Genji is a cyborg ninja, who possesses fantastic mobility, and great damage potential. This hero is extremely slippery, and his kit provides him with abilities that allow him to swiftly execute heroes without breaking a sweat. Believed to be high-risk, high-reward, Genji is suited for players who like taking risks and capitalize on the enemy team's weaknesses.

The hero has quite a high skill ceiling, however, he remains one of the most peskiest heroes ever released in Overwatch 2. That said, this article will proivde you with a detailed brief on the 5 best heroes to counter Genji in Overwatch 2 Season 15. Read below for a detailed brief.

Editor's note: The contents of this article are subjective and solely feature the writer's own opinion. Furthermore, the article has been updated to feature the latest information in accordance with the balance patch deployed by Blizzard Entertainment on February 18, 2025.

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Overwatch 2 guide: Echo and 4 other heroes to pick against Genji

Genji consistently ranks as the top DPS hero in the game due to his exceptional mobility, often positioning himself on high buildings. His unique abilities, such as double jumping and wall scaling, along with his swift attack and evasive maneuvers, allow him to catch opponents off guard, deal damage, and escape quickly.

Here's a detailed look into all his abilities so that you know what you're up against:

Shuriken: This is the basic offensive armament that Genji utilizes in battle, throwing them from a distance to deal damage. Shuriken has two modes of fire, a burst of three in a straight line that deals more damage but hits only a single target, and an arc of three in a wide spread that is faster but less accurate.
Deflect: Genji comes equipped with a sword, which he uses in this signature ability to deflect and return incoming projectiles in the direction he is facing. It can also be used to defend against melee attacks.
Swift Strike: This is a dash attack in which Genji moves swiftly in a straight line, slashing through the air. Opponents caught in the attack take considerable damage and, if eliminated, will reset the cooldown for the ability.
Cyber-Agility: Along with his class ability, Genji has another passive that lets him double jump and climb surfaces. This opens up new paths that most heroes cannot take and is excellent for flanking enemies from hidden locations.
Dragonblade: This is Genji’s ultimate ability, in which he unsheathes his sword and becomes a fully melee combatant for six seconds, dealing 110 damage per hit. Provided that you are able to land a blow, this is one of the most powerful ultimate abilities in the game.

If you ever find yourself up against Genji main, here are five heroes you can pick to counter the slippery cyborg ninja.

1) Echo

Overwatch 2 - Echo (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Who can effectively take down a hypermobile hero? Another hypermobile hero.

Echo is a DPS character and a formidable counter to Genji, as she possesses the tools to take him down efficiently. Her hypermobility and flight capabilities make it challenging for Genji to catch her. Moreover, her ultimate ability, Focusing Beam, cannot be deflected, making her a threat to Genji as long as she can keep track of him.

Although Echo's other abilities are primarily projectile-based, which may be difficult to hit Genji with, it hardly matters. She can simply avoid him and divert her firepower toward other enemy heroes, making her a versatile and deadly opponent against Genji.

2) Moira

Moira is an effective counter to Genji, albeit with some trade-offs. She wields a beam weapon that has an auto-lock feature that allows her to continuously damage nearby heroes as long as they are within her line of sight.

Genji's deflect ability is ineffective against Moira's beam. Even if he tries to evade by jumping or climbing walls, Moira can still keep her lock on him and deal consistent damage.

However, since Moira is supposed to be an off-healer support, it's worth noting that her beam doesn't deal as much damage as damage-focused heroes. You might need to run two healers on your team to allow Moira to move around freely to catch Genji.

3) Pharah

Overwatch 2 - Pharah (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Rather than being a true counter to Genji, Pharah excels at evading him. While Genji is highly mobile, Pharah's aerial mobility is even greater. She can stay airborne for extended periods of time, flying out of Genji's range if he gets too close.

Pharah has the ability to effectively stay outside of Genji's range while continuously attacking him. She can even target the ground near Genji to deal splash damage.

Additionally, Genji's shuriken typically can't reach Pharah when she's in the sky, making her an effective choice if you simply want to render the enemy Genji useless.

4) Winston

Overwatch 2 - Winston (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Winston excels at chasing down agile heroes like Genji due to his own mobility. Using his Jump Pack, he can easily pursue Genji into the backline, making it challenging for the cyber ninja to escape.

With his high durability and mobility, Winston can easily soak up a significant amount of damage before retreating to safety. His Tesla Cannon is a formidable weapon against Genji, as it cannot be deflected and deals substantial damage, forcing the cyborg ninja to retreat.

Moreover, Winston's Barrier Projector provides protection from Genji's shurikens (for himself and his teammates). His ability to withstand heavy hits makes it challenging for Genji to engage him directly.

5) Zarya

Overwatch 2 - Zarya (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Another tank hero on the list, Zarya is an invaluable frontline asset, utilizing her powerful personal barriers to convert incoming damage into energy that powers her formidable Particle Cannon.

Zarya’s Particle Barrier is effective in absorbing Genji's attacks and using the energy to augment her cannon's damage output. Meanwhile, Projected Barrier can be used to protect her team's healers.

Furthermore, Zarya’s Graviton Surge can be a devastating tool against Genji, immobilizing and leaving him vulnerable to massive damage from her team.

That's everything that you need to know about the best heroes to counter Genji in Overwatch 2 Season 15. For more related news and guides, stay tuned to Sportskeeda. You can also check some of our other guides below:

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh