Overwatch 2 will return to 6v6 in 2 test modes next season, but Blizzard won’t keep them around if they don’t attract 'a surge of players’

GamesFPSOverwatch 2 will return to 6v6 in 2 test modes next season, but Blizzard won’t keep them around if they don’t attract ‘a surge of players’When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Tyler C. / Activision Blizzard)

Overwatch 2�s Kiriko

A decent chunk ofOverwatch 2players have been ranting and raving about the good ol’ days of 6v6 ever since the sequel opted for the new 5v5 format. Players are incredibly passionate about this issue, so much so that they managed to make Blizzard flinch andannounce upcoming 6v6 playtests, which we now know more about.

In a blog post today, game director Aaron Keller said there will be “two different 6v6 tests” in Overwatch 2’s next season, season 14. The first of these tests will be a variation of the flexible Open Queue ruleset, where each team of six must have at least one of each role and no more than three. So you can make a team that’s comprised of three supports, one DPS, and two tanks, or any variation on that format.

The next 6v6 test will take place mid-season 14 and will force the original 2-2-2 team composition (two tanks, two healers, and two damage dealers), but it will still retain Overwatch 2 changes, such as less crowd control and the reworked heroes. But in both of these cases, the tanks won’t be as strong as they currently are. “The power and survivability of tanks will go down in these 6v6 formats, and we’ll be taking a look at whether we need many of the passives that we’ve added in Overwatch 2,” Keller says.

Season 13 will also see some new modes added, but these will be for 5v5 and will be aimed at “testing the flexibility within this format,” according to Keller. A new Quick Play: Hacked event, named “Limit 2,” will be like Open Queue, except the maximum in each role will be limited to two. “This includes Tanks, but they will be tuned to Open Queue balance, meaning they will have less health,” Keller says. “You can freely switch heroes and roles as long as the new role doesn’t already have two players.”

The next 5v5 test is codenamed “Kingmaker” and will be like “Limit 2,” except this time, the role that just has one player will get some bonuses. “Quick Play: Hacked, “Limit 2”, and “Kingmaker” will provide an excellent benchmark and framework for us going into the 6v6 tests,” Keller says. “We’re looking forward to seeing what statistics we can gather as you dive into these modes, alongside your feedback, which is one of our strongest data points!”

“Part of this series of tests is to not only judge our player’s appetite for larger team sizes, but for us to explore different ways that we might implement a change without running into the same problems we had previously,” Keller says. One of the biggest issues that Keller previously mentioned in the first 6v6 blog post was that this format negatively affected queue times. Very few players queue for tank compared to other roles, meaning that it was harder to fill this role, and most DPS and support players would have disproportionately long wait times between matches.

It will be interesting to see if these tests fall into the same pitfalls or even if they negatively affect queue times for regular Role and Open Queues, as it’ll effectively split the playerbase in half. With that in mind, it’s important to understand that when these tests are taking place, you’re effectively a guinea pig for Blizzard to experiment on, and any number of things you do in them, or say online, could shape what these potential new modes might look like.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

(Image credit: Blizzard)

Widowmaker mythic

It sounds like Blizzard will make an informed decision based on popularity, player count, and whatever other analytics it tracks internally for balance and player behaviour.

“In a world where a surge of players is in this mode and continuously play it, then we have the signal we need to do more with it,” Keller says. “I think what that ‘more’ is depends on the level of excitement. Is there a world where both 5v5 and 6v6 exist permanently in Overwatch 2? If you had asked me a few months ago, I would have said no. As we’ve discussed Overwatch 2’s future in light of making the game that our players want to play, we know our players can want more than one experience, and it would be something we’d need to consider moving forward.”

I’m excited to see what both of these tests will be like, although that does mean digging out my team’s second tank and sixth member, who we sent into exile back in 2022. But Overwatch 2 can only have so many different versions of the game running at one time, and I was really hoping that Junkenstein’s Lab would stick around because that’sthe closest thing we’ll probably ever get to the intended PvE experience.

That being said, I’d love the 6v6 tests to work out if they’re genuinely good and benefit the community, but I’m not convinced that enough players actually want 6v6 for this to benefit anyone. I could just be living under a 5v5 rock, but over the last couple of years, it’s increasingly felt like most of the 6v6 discourse exists as a way to focus everyone’s frustration at Overwatch 2’s failings and disappointments.

At Overwatch 2’s release, it felt like there was too much to be angry about for everyone to rally around one war cry—players were frustrated with increased shop prices, no loot boxes, a new battle pass, no PvE, and the change to 5v5 just to name a few. Players were on so many different crusades that none of them ended up amounting to anything, and the anger just kind of fizzled out as fans settled for the new reality of Overwatch 2, except for the 6v6 vs. 5v5 debate.This has managed to live on well past any of the other grievances and is often brought up as the frontrunner when players are asked what’s so wrong with Overwatch 2. It sticks out like a sore thumb and is something simple enough for a lot of people to rally around. So it’ll be interesting to see how much of the community ends up playing the upcoming 6v6 tests and if this is something that players genuinely want and not just an easy punching bag.

TOPICSActivision BlizzardBlizzard Entertainment

TOPICS

PRODUCTSOverwatch 2Overwatch

PRODUCTS

More about fpsThe most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’If you missed it over the holidays, this noir Half-Life 2 mod turns you into a hardboiled detective in Prohibition-era ChicagoLatestThe best part of Marvel Rivals Season 1 is Mister Fantastic’s obnoxiously fun chest-bump attack and his ridiculously OP kitSee more latest►

More about fps

The most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’If you missed it over the holidays, this noir Half-Life 2 mod turns you into a hardboiled detective in Prohibition-era Chicago

FBC: Firebreak

The most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’

A noir Chicago with Combine metro cops from Half-Life 2

If you missed it over the holidays, this noir Half-Life 2 mod turns you into a hardboiled detective in Prohibition-era Chicago

LatestThe best part of Marvel Rivals Season 1 is Mister Fantastic’s obnoxiously fun chest-bump attack and his ridiculously OP kitSee more latest►

Latest

The best part of Marvel Rivals Season 1 is Mister Fantastic’s obnoxiously fun chest-bump attack and his ridiculously OP kit

Mister Fantastic mid ultimate

The best part of Marvel Rivals Season 1 is Mister Fantastic’s obnoxiously fun chest-bump attack and his ridiculously OP kit

See more latest►

Most PopularAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortageThis Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardwareHarrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us RemakeTencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklistAll Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAsus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forwardToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2’s bugfix patch notes are funnyDeus Ex: Mankind Divided writer didn’t like the ending either: ‘Nothing is resolved’It seems like Square’s finally consistently taking the PC ports of Final Fantasy seriouslyLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii looks more like a zany RGG take on Black Flag than I dared hope

Most Popular

AMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

This Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardware

Harrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us Remake

Tencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklist

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codes

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10

We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2’s bugfix patch notes are funny

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided writer didn’t like the ending either: ‘Nothing is resolved’

It seems like Square’s finally consistently taking the PC ports of Final Fantasy seriously

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii looks more like a zany RGG take on Black Flag than I dared hope

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals