Overwatch 2 will officially return to the 6v6 format in tests this December.
Are you excited about the 6 against 6?
Blizzard has decided to reintroduce 6v6 matches for Overwatch 2 during testing that will take place with the launch of the upcoming season in December. Previously, the company had transitioned to a 5v5 format, and now it is exploring this option to refine the core gameplay and offer a new balanced version of the classic 6v6 mode, allowing each team to have multiple tank characters again.
Game director Aaron Keller has stated that Blizzard is aware that the 5v5 format attracted a new group of players, and the development team hopes to replicate that success by incorporating 6v6, which will coexist with the current formats. Keller mentioned some challenges faced by the 6v6 mode, such as balancing heroes and game performance, as well as the need to ensure that players can easily queue into matches, considering the potential fragmentation of the player base between the 5v5 and 6v6 game modes. One of the hero balance adjustments involves reducing the survival capability of tanks and decreasing their power.
Season 14 of Overwatch 2 will offer two opportunities to experience 6v6. The first will be a new “Open Queue” format, where each team of six must include at least one representative from each role (tank, damage, support), with a limit of three players per role. Additionally, role switching will be allowed during the match. The second 6v6 test will take place mid-season and will allow for two players per role on each team.
Furthermore, there will be a 5v5 test in season 13, which will limit the number of players per role to a maximum of two and make tanks less powerful than in previous versions. Richard Lawler, an avid player, pointed out that the removal of one tank player per team made the game feel simpler, although he also hinted that match outcomes could depend excessively on that single role.
