While the constant content ofOverwatch 2’s in-game seasons has done quite well to shake up the core gameplay experience of the title since its launch in October 2022, it seems that Blizzard is looking at other methods to introduce sweeping changes and keep fans engaged. One of the most ambitious and divisive changes that the title made from its predecessor was the reduction of 6v6 gameplay to 5v5, with this being one of the major waysOW2has defined itself away from the legacy of the franchise’s original title.
Despite how synonymousOverwatch 2has become with 5v5 gameplay, Blizzard is seemingly interested in once again offering 6v6 matches as a staple of the IP, with early testing for this form of matchmaking already taking place. It has not been officially confirmed that Blizzard intends to fully implement 6v6 gameplay intoOverwatch 2, but the early success and subsequent extension of 6v6 playtesting seems to be a massive hint toward 6v6’s future.
Permanent 6v6 Modes in Overwatch 2 Seem Like a Sure Thing
The originalOverwatchbuilt its brand of gameplay on 6v6 experiences, with role queues even being absent for the franchise up until 2019. Despite how successful this formula had been for the IP,Overwatch 2launched with a dedicated focus on 5v5 matches, with the game creating huge shifts in the franchise’s meta by reducing the number of tank slots per team by one. Despite the popularity that the free-to-playOverwatch 2has maintained, Blizzard is still clearly aware of the nostalgia and love that long-time fans have for the earliest gameplay of the IP.
This was best evidenced bythe recentOverwatchClassic event forOW2, lasting between November 12 and December 2, which recreated the original gameplay ofOverwatch 2to indulge the memories of older fans while giving new players a chance to get to grips with the roots of the franchise. Not only didOverwatchclassic bring back 6v6 games, but it also only featured the 21 launch heroes with their original in-game ability kits.
OverwatchClassic, alongside its lack of hero limits, proved to be a successful venture for Blizzard, and while a permanent reversion to things like original hero abilities is unfeasible, the company is clearly quite receptive to making 6v6 games a dedicated feature going forward.Blizzard began testing 6v6 matches outsideOverwatchClassic on December 17, with this test-run featuring a role queue with two players assigned to either DPS, Support, or Tank.
Overwatch 2’s 6v6 Testing Extension is an Excellent Sign For Fans of the Mode
This trial 6v6 playlist was intended to end on January 7, although the popularity of the mode was so intense thatBlizzard decided to extend it as its own arcade playlist for the time being. Eventually, this playlist will be phased out with the introduction of another round of 6v6 testing, that will instead focus on a “one minimum, three maximum” approach to hero selection for each role. The extension of the first 6v6 playlist makes it clear that Blizzard sees the potential success of making this a permanent mode, andOverwatch 2needs this boost now more than ever.
The meteoricrise ofMarvel Rivalsposes a serious threat to the continued success ofOverwatch 2, and the widespread appeal of 6v6 gameplay seems like too good of an opportunity for Blizzard to pass up asRivalsbegins to roll out its own seasonal content. This, combined with the rigorous and now extended playtesting for 6v6 inOverwatch 2, come together to essentially act as an unofficial confirmation that this classic brand of gameplay will eventually become an ingrained and important element of the title going forward.
