Image: Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard might bring 6v6 back to Overwatch 2, but it’s going to take some time.
Overwatch 2 might be returning to 6v6 gameplay following a lengthy series of upcoming tests. In a new blog post from game director Aaron Keller, Overwatch 2 developer Blizzard Entertainment confirmed that it was “looking at running a series of events to try out different core team composition formats in Overwatch 2.”
This includes testing “different forms of 6v6 in the game to gauge the results.”
Overwatch 2 is testing a return to 6v6 gameplay
Blizzard Entertainment has had one constant struggle since the days of the original Overwatch: getting people to play Tank roles. In an effort to lower queue times and make Tanks more appealing, the developer slimmed the game’s 6v6 gameplay down to 5v5 teams for Overwatch 2 with one less Tank per team. In exchange, Tanks would be far more powerful and vital in securing a win.
Unfortunately, time has proven that this decision has not done nearly enough to help out the Tank role. In fact, with all the added pressure put on Tanks to carry a team to victory, less and less players seem to be drawn to playing the role at all. In a new blog post penned by Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller, the developer finally addressed constant feedback from players that its 5v5 gameplay isn’t working.
Keller wrote that the development team is now “looking at running a series of events to try out different core team composition formats in Overwatch 2” which includes “various forms of 6v6.” These tests are taking time to actually implement in-game due to two main reasons. The first is that Blizzard now has to figure out how to optimise the game’s technical performance for a 6v6 format, after adding complex features like more technically demanding hero kits, across-the-board visual upgrades and UI improvements for the sequel with a 5v5 format in mind. Keller wrote that “this would be a large effort that would most likely take at least several seasons to accomplish.”
The second reason has to do with the aforementioned queue times. In the blog post, Keller talked about how queue times for Tank players are a problem:
The biggest factor driving the difference between Overwatch and Overwatch 2 queue times is the ratio of players queueing for each role. We hear players speculate that long queue times are a result of not enough players playing Overwatch - that isn’t the case - but instead that relative to the other roles, players generally queue tank less, leading to longer wait times for all while we wait for a Tank to free up to find a proper match.
Keller noted that, “If you look at the current queue times you can see that there is still a lack of Tanks compared to our other roles. Just ‘flipping the switch’ and returning to 6v6 would likely cause a return to previous queue times or worse.”
Now, the developer has to figure out a solution for these queue time problems before bringing “some form” of 6v6 back. “Is there a world where people are willing to live with long queue times to play this format?” Keller asked.
“Maybe, but that’s a pretty risky move to make.”
At this point, Blizzard is looking to run a 6v6 test for a few weeks and gather feedback from the playerbase, after which it would “explore how to best give players what's being asked for. Whether that’s a world of 5v5, 6v6 or even both, is for future us to figure out.”
In other words: no promises, but Blizzard is looking into bringing 6v6 back. In the meantime, Overwatch 2 Season 12 is planned to launch on August 20 with a new Support hero named Juno.