Two years after Blizzard transitioned to a 5v5 Overwatch format by removing one tank from each team, the game maker said it had been inundated with calls to revert to the original 6v6 format and announced that testing will begin in December.
Two other experimental 6v6 tests are planned for the remaining season, 14 of Overwatch 2.
The first test is slated to begin on December 17, coinciding with the start of the new season and will feature experimental team configurations, allowing players to explore various strategies.
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According to the schedule, the first test will begin a week into the season at a minimum, inferred from the current battle pass countdown. These tests will introduce the deviation of team setups into formations, providing players with a different format of team sets.
A familiar format has been subjected to two testing phases
Such an approach to hero selection in the initial part of the match will use a variation on the Open Queue Min 1, Max 3, where players pick a minimum of one hero in each class (tank, support, and damage dealer) and the maximum of three heroes in any class. The freely interchangeable sides structure also provides opponents opportunities to change stances according to each confrontation’s events.
The second test, starting in mid-January 2025, will bring back the 2-2-2 role queue to allow dual-tank play. This gradual approach allows Blizzard to see how both styles feel within the sequel’s premise to better dictate which is richer in terms of modern gameplay.
“There are a few different combinations here that you will be able to try, but this opens up many different team compositions that we haven’t seen before in Overwatch 2,” game director Aaron Keller wrote in a blog post. Aaron Keller, the game director, said that the team is reining in some passive abilities to ensure that the dual-tank matches are feasible within Overwatch 2. “We will either delete the ability or even turn it and its flexibility to something else at this location.”
Keller wrote, “Waking up every day with millions of gamers participating in the purest 5v5 format, the last thing we want is to negatively influence it.”
He pointed out that Blizzard intended the experiments to measure the players’ appetite for the increased team size and assess whether 5v and 6v6 can coexist.
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“We hope people really like it; in that case, we won’t wait for another Halloween to do it again,” Keller said, slightly implying that Blizzard might be looking to make both formats permanent fixtures. The return of 6v6 can allow Overwatch 2 fans to play familiar gameplay but with some modifications.
These upcoming tests show Blizzard’s ability to listen to its players and bring back the beloved team composition. Overwatch 2 players prepare to set up new strategies and add more heroes to the field. Blizzard’s experiment is already on the way to being a game-changer for Overwatch fans. The experiments are designed to help Blizzard gauge player interest in the larger team size and see if both 5v5 and 6v6 can coexist.
“We’re excited to see how the community reacts,” Keller commented, hinting that Blizzard might consider permanently adding both formats if players respond positively. The return of 6v6 could give Overwatch 2 fans the chance to revisit a familiar gameplay experience with a fresh twist.