Blizzard’s test of the return to the 6v6 format begins in season 14 of Overwatch 2which should begin on or about December 10. That initial testing period will be a variation on the game’s Open Queue format, Keller said, which is described as “Min 1, Max 3” – meaning each team of six will have at least one of each role, and no more than three . Players can switch roles on the fly, as long as the team composition adheres to the ‘Min 1, Max 3’ rule.
A second test is expected to start midway through Season 14, i.e. sometime in mid-January. That test will follow the original Overwatch‘s 2-2-2 composition. Both tests will see “a series of balance changes that apply only to these two test modes,” Keller said. “The power and survivability of tanks will decrease in these 6v6 formats, and we will look at whether we need many of the passive parts we have in Overwatch 2.”
Blizzard will be running similar experiments this season, but using the existing 5v5 format in Quick Play. The first, called “Limit 2”, will allow a maximum number of two players per role – meaning there will indeed be a possibility of having two tanks in a team of five. If a team uses duplicate tanks in Limit 2, those players will be matched to the open queue balance, which will reduce tank health.
Regardless of how those tests turn out, it doesn’t sound like Blizzard is fully committed to a final team size.
“Is there a world where both 5v5 and 6v6 exist permanently? Overwatch 2? If you had asked me a few months ago, I would have said no,” Keller said. “As we discussed Overwatch 2In light of creating the game our players want to play, we know our players may want more than one experience, and it would be something we should consider moving forward.”
It looks like the coming months will be some of the most interesting for the long term Overwatch 2 players, especially for tanks, have suffered to varying degrees since Blizzard instituted the 5v5 switch. Whether 6v6 or more fluid team compositions will alleviate this pain remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the Overwatch team is throwing a lot at the wall to see what resonates with players.