Finally it happens Overwatch 2 fans: like Blizzard hinted back in Julyhe will test a return to six-man teams. When the transition from the original game happened only two years ago, Blizzard switched to a 5v5 format, leaving one tank on each side. But after countless requests from the public, the team is ready to try new spins on the old format with different approaches to team compositions.
Two 6v6 tests will be held next season Overwatch 2. The first of these will begin a week after season 14. Based on when the current season ends (December 10th considering the battle pass countdown), that means the first 6v6 test should start on December 17th.
Blizzard tries to avoid some of the pain points that persisted in the original with a 2-2-2 setup of two tanks, two supports, and two damage (or DPS) heroes. Overwatch. The first test will offer something in between this strict turn-based format, allowing players to combine whatever heroes they want without repeating the same character (the current open turn-based option).
Each team of six will have one or three heroes from each role. So you can choose to run in the same build with three tanks, two supports and one DPS the infamous GOATS meta. However, since this is an open-ended spin format, teams will also be able to change their lineup mid-match.
“There are a few different combinations you can try here, but it opens up a lot of different team compositions that we haven’t seen before. Overwatch 2“,” game director Aaron Keller wrote in a blog post. “In addition to experimenting with a format that could look like a middle ground for Role-playing and Open-playing, it will also give us a look at what it looks like. Overwatch 2 Heroes, abilities and upgrades work in a 6v6 environment before we move on to other test types.”
The second trial will take place at the end of season 14 (also planned to introduce a new Scottish hero). This will be a step back to the 2-2-2. However, it will “incorporate some of the new principles that we have introduced Overwatch 2,” such as a hero rework and less crowd control ability.
Blizzard will make significant balance changes for these two tests only. For example, the power and survivability of tanks will decrease. Many passive abilities can be lowered or removed, such as self-heal over time for all heroes.
“These format tests are to see if we can make the core game stronger,” Keller writes. “Millions of players switch to the core 5v5 format every day, and the last thing we want is to negatively affect that experience. The exciting part of these tests is the potential to introduce something that might appeal to another group of players. I feel uncertain about when to switch to 5v5. Overwatch 2 has been activated. Part of this series of tests is not only to judge our players’ appetite for larger team sizes, but also to explore different ways we can implement the change without facing the challenges we faced before.”
Before the big 6v6 tests, Blizzard will be testing a few composition-based experiments in season 13. The first will allow players to run with any rotation they want in 2-2-1, but tanks will have reduced health. in open shift modes. You won’t be locked into a specific role here either – for example, you can switch from support to damage as long as you don’t already have two DPS heroes on your team. The second 5v5 test called “Kingmaker” will be a twist on this, but the player flying solo in their given role will receive some sort of bonus.
“We’re exploring more freedom in 5v5, while allowing more compositional types to succeed,” Keller noted. These two tests are set to “provide a great benchmark and framework for entering 6v6 tests,” and Blizzard hopes players will provide feedback on them.
The future of 6v6 really depends on how much enthusiasm you have. “In a world where more and more players are connecting to this mode and playing it continuously, then we have a signal that we need to do more with it,” Keller said. The game’s director notes that even a few months ago it was difficult for him to foresee a situation where 5v5 and 6v6 coexist for a long time, but if the latter is a hit with fans, “we know that our players will want more than one experience.” and that would be something we would have to consider.”
So there you have it. If you’re dying to see the return of 6v6, you’ll probably want to spend some time playing these tests. These experiments seem like a smart way to go about things, and may mark a return to the days when it was easier to switch between roles, giving players more flexibility. great performances.
Any permanent return of 6v6 will likely be some time away. Overwatch 2 Fully tuned for 5v5 in terms of hero abilities, rework and balance changes. The maps are designed with 5v5 in mind, the team updates many maps from the original Overwatch to add more coverage. So it might take a little while to get things right for 6v6 to happen, but its return is no longer a pipe dream for players.
