As a dedicated Overwatch fan, I’ve been through my fair share of ups and downs with Blizzard’s iconic hero shooter. The recent announcement from game director Aaron Keller that Blizzard is open to reversing the decision to shift to 5v5 gameplay in Overwatch 2 has brought a renewed sense of excitement and hope into my gaming community.
Approximately two years after Overwatch 2 was launched, game director Aaron Keller from Blizzard has disclosed that they are now considering reverting one of the game’s most debated and significant changes: the transition to 5vs5 team size.
Keller announced in his recent Director’s Take post, which he frequently updates to keep fans informed, that the studio had changed direction regarding Overwatch’s 6v6 gameplay. He went into detail about the causes for this shift and provided a tentative plan to reintroduce 6v6 battles, possibly through a series of events spanning “several seasons.”
“The community has proposed an idea for testing 6vs6 game modes in our game once or twice. They asked, ‘Why not introduce different types of 6vs6 battles to assess the outcome?’ We’re on board with this suggestion, and based on your input, we are investigating ways to conduct such tests.”
If the proposed plans seem vague, that’s because they currently are. Keller acknowledged that setting specific dates and identifying particular events is a complex undertaking due to “complicated reasons” not easily understood. To shed light on these reasons, he provided an account of Overwatch’s history and expounded upon why he thinks 5v5 is more suitable for Overwatch 2.
Based on Keller’s explanation, the shortening of queue times due to Hero Limits and Role Queues in the original Overwatch, leading to a need for just ten players to start a game, significantly influenced the team’s choice to develop Overwatch 2 as a 5v5 game. The data gathered indicated that this change particularly benefited those frequently playing Damage roles. Furthermore, Keller emphasized that this transition aimed to provide “more control and freedom” for individual players.
As a gamer, I’ve noticed that in 6vs6 battles, things often didn’t get resolved until ultimate abilities were activated. I wanted to change that and create effective ultimate combos to bypass two tanks’ worth of mitigation, backed by strong, uncontested healing. The world of 6vs6 could have some incredible highs, but also some disheartening lows. In transitioning to 5vs5, one of our main objectives was to increase the minimum level of gameplay, even if it meant sacrificing some of those exhilarating peak moments.
Keller elaborated that having two tanks in a team didn’t consistently bring enjoyment and could significantly slow down the game. With Overwatch 2 shifting towards a faster-paced, 5vs5 format and eliminating one tank role, this change was crucial for achieving the desired outcome. He added that keeping track of eleven players instead of nine was more challenging in combat situations. Keller described the transition to 5vs5 as less mentally taxing.
Although there were aspects of 6v6 that Keller found challenging, he acknowledged enjoying its lively chaos. He further explained that having an additional player reduced the impact of poor performance, making the risks seem less daunting and resulting in increased enjoyment for players.
Despite returning to 6vs6, it’s not as straightforward as it may seem. Keller explained the primary challenge is finding a method for conducting 6vs6 trials that enables the game to maintain optimal technical performance – specifically in terms of frame rate and memory usage – with 12 players involved.
Keller shared that Overwatch 2 has undergone numerous enhancements and improvements, affecting the game’s performance in various ways. These updates encompassed new features such as allied outlines and healer vision by default, more complex hero kits, and visual upgrades to UI, heroes, and maps. In a competitive 6v6 environment, these advancements could significantly impact players, potentially causing older systems to struggle. Maintaining optimal gameplay performance on all platforms is crucial for an enjoyable player experience in Overwatch’s fast-paced environment. Although a trial period may begin sooner, the team is still assessing how long it would take to permanently boost performance across the entire game, which is a substantial endeavor likely requiring multiple seasons to complete.
Another concern for Keller, causing him apprehension, is the matter of long waiting times in queues. He believes that collecting information on queue times, overall system performance, and player opinions from these tests would prove invaluable.
Keller stated that we should thoughtfully consider the insights gained from conducting any tests and determine the most effective way to cater to players’ requests, be it a 5v5, 6v6, or possibly even a combination of both worlds. (Future developments will decide on this.)
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2024-07-25 21:39