Overwatch finally returns to its roots with 6v6 comeback, and it’s happening soon

The long-awaited return of six-vs-six in Overwatch 2 is finally around the corner, Blizzard Entertainment revealed today in a new blog from game director Aaron Keller.

OW2‘s next season, season 14, will run multiple tests of six-vs-six to see how fans react and more to the changes because “the last thing we want is to negatively impact that experience” for players who have been enjoying five-vs-five. And so, one week into season 14, the first of two six-vs-six tests will take place as part of its own Unranked matchmaking card in the game, separate from Quick Play and everything else. This variant is called “Min 1, Max 3.”

This means that this six-vs-six variation will allow for up to three of one class, but requires at least one of every class. Fans will be able to play a composition of three tanks, two supports, and one DPS, or two tanks, three supports, and one DPS, and so on.

“There are a few different combinations here that you will be able to try, but this opens up many different team compositions that we haven’t seen before in OW2,” Blizzard said. “You will be able to switch roles on the fly during a match as long as that switch doesn’t break the ‘Min 1, Max 3’ limit.”

The second test will take place during the midseason cycle of season 14 will feature the classic “2-2-2” composition, but it will incorporate changes made in OW2 such as less crowd control, new hero reworks, and more. Blizzard warned that the tests will also have their own series of balance changes, such as lowering the survivability and power of tanks, to go with it.

Not to be left out, five-vs-five will also have some experimentation as well. The first test is called “Limit 2,” which limits hero roles to two apiece, but includes tanks so teams could field two tanks if they wish. The second test is named “Kingmaker,” which is the same as Limit 2, but gives “a bonus” to the player who is alone in their role.

Testing both five-vs-five and six-vs-six is Blizzard’s effort to “make the game that you want to play,” no matter what that looks like, including having both six-vs-six and five-vs-five options available.

“In the world where a surge of players join this mode and continuously play it, then we have the signal we need to do more with it,” Keller said of the tests. “I think what that ‘more’ is depends on the level of excitement. Is there a world where both five-vs-five and six-vs-six 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.”

OW2’s season 14 will begin in December, and will also include a new tank hero.