What Does ‘Diff’ Mean in Overwatch 2?

Every online game has its fair share of lingo that newer players or those out of the loop may not understand. Some terms are universal while others are more specific. If you’re an Overwatch 2 player and have seen the word “diff” thrown around in matches, you’re probably wondering, “what does it mean?” We can break this down below.

What Does ‘Diff’ Mean in Overwatch 2?

The term ‘diff’ is used oftentimes used in a derogatory sense to outright showcase a difference in a certain player’s stats compared to the opposing team member’s stats. 

For example, you just won a round of Quickplay using Lucio and you racked up over 10,000 points in healing. The other team’s Lucio only has 4,000 in healing. Someone on the other team takes to the chat and says “Lucio diff”. What that person means is that they’re blaming their Lucio for not healing enough, ultimately costing the game. 

Yes, while blaming teammates is nothing new when it comes to team shooters, it can and does affect the morale of other players. While there are certain measures in place to combat toxicity, no filter is perfect to ensure a game in which there are zero toxic players. Something just hits the player base differently when a specific term is used to describe someone being outright inferior in a game.

There are other terms out there to tell someone they aren’t good at a game like the popular “git gud” line or the more recent “skill issue” remark. In any case, if you do see the word “diff” being used in Overwatch 2’s game chat, pay no attention, especially when there are other possibly toxic remarks out there like “GR”. It’s just more trash talk to tune out while playing.

Overwatch 2 is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.