Overwatch 2 will test 6v6 with director open to permanent change

As a long-time fan of Overwatch, I’ve been following the recent developments regarding the potential shift back to 6v6 team modes with bated breath. Having played the original Overwatch extensively, I can attest to the unique experience that format brought to the table. However, as Keller points out in his blog post, the decision to move to 5v5 was made for a reason, and it’s not as simple as flipping a switch to revert back.

A popular debate amongst Overwatch 2 enthusiasts revolves around the shift from 6-player teams to 5-player teams. This transformation has left some longtime fans of the original Overwatch feeling disappointed. However, after several years since its release, Game Director Aaron Keller believes it’s time for an in-depth conversation about the distinct aspects of these team sizes. He announced that Blizzard will be conducting trials with the 6v6 format once more and is open to reconsidering this decision.

Keller delves deeply into the topic on the Overwatch 2 website, sharing his insights on the evolution of team size and hero selection in Overwatch. He discusses how they resolved the issue of duplicate heroes, established the Role Queue system resulting in 2-2-2 formations, and shifted to Overwatch 2 with a 5v5 setup. With illustrative examples, he highlights Blizzard’s discovery of significantly reduced queue times in Overwatch 2 compared to its predecessor due to the change to 5v5 play.

Overwatch 2 will test 6v6 with director open to permanent change

Keller and his team at Overwatch 2 have recognized the call for a comeback to the 6vs6 format from the original game. Nevertheless, Keller acknowledges that this change might not be effortless and could negatively impact the game, primarily due to concerns over longer queue times. However, with challenges in maintaining balance within the current 5vs5 team setup, particularly with Tanks, the prospect of reverting to 6vs6 has resurfaced. Keller shares that Overwatch 2 intends to conduct trials on 6vs6 gameplay soon and emphasizes that they will closely observe these tests.

Here’s what Keller had to say about what the Overwatch team is doing next:

Due to the complexities addressed before, our priority is to optimize 5v5 for an exceptional gaming experience. Yet, since we cater to our players, we keep an open mind to reassess our choices in response to your behaviors and comments, ensuring a top-tier game for you. Instead of implementing a lasting, potentially divisive modification, we prefer to delve deeper into possibilities and adapt accordingly based on the results of our exploration.
As a long-time Overwatch player and community member, I’ve seen countless debates about team compositions and strategies that could potentially enhance our gaming experience in Overwatch 2. Based on my personal observation and engagement with fellow players, I believe exploring different forms of 6v6 gameplay is an excellent idea.
The first, and honestly largest, reason is the need to do this in a way that allows the game to have optimized technical performance (I’m referring to framerate and memory constraints) with 12 players in a match. There have been quite a few upgrades and additions to Overwatch 2 that have an impact on the performance of the game. These range from new features like allied outlines and enabling healer vision by default, the addition of more technically demanding hero kits, as well as visual upgrades to UI, heroes and maps. In a 6v6 setting, these upgrades can have significant impacts for our players, causing the game to underperform on older systems. Overwatch is a fast-paced game, and maintaining a game that runs smoothly across all our platforms is important for the player’s experience. While a limited time test could arrive sooner, the team is still investigating exactly how long it would take to permanently increase performance across the game. This would be a large effort that would most likely take at least several seasons to accomplish.
another challenge we face, and one that continues to cause me apprehension, is determining how to manage queue times if a significant number of players prefer 6v6 over 5v5. Previously, our team was unable to find a solution to this dilemma. Although we have some potential ideas now, there’s no assurance that they will be effective. Could players endure lengthy queue times for the 6v6 format? Perhaps, but it’s a gamble. Moreover, we must consider the tens of millions of new players who have only experienced 5v5 gameplay. We are committed to avoiding frustration for those who enjoy the current version of the game.
Conducting these tests would yield essential insights for our next steps. For approximately three weeks, we’d monitor the community’s response before assessing the effect on other Overwatch 2 features such as 5v5 and Arcade. We’d extract valuable lessons from this trial to enhance our understanding of the mode within the current game framework and its potential in future versions of Overwatch. Thoroughly considering these findings, we’d explore the best way to cater to player demands – be it a 5v5, 6v6, or even a combination of both formats.

As an Overwatch 2 fan, I’m keeping a close eye on the latest developments that could impact the game’s future. The upcoming 6v6 tests are causing uncertainty, not in a “is the game dying?” way, but rather because the outcome could lead to significant changes based on player reactions. There isn’t any confirmed start date for these tests yet, but Keller hinted at something potentially happening during Season 13. Regardless of when it begins, this is an intriguing development that warrants our attention. Stay tuned to Shacknews for more updates as we get them.

2024-07-25 21:28

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