Overwatch 2 may get 6v6 again as Blizzard try to bring back the "chaotic, over-the-top" variety of the first game

rockpapershotgun.com:

Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller has posted a lengthy blog on Steam about the transition from 6v6 player matches in the first Overwatch to 5v5 in the poorly received free-to-play sequel. It's a juicy read for armchair designers and lapsed Overwatchers like myself, packing in analysis of class roles and the shift from the free choice of heroes to single hero picks and enforced team compositions.

In broad strokes, Keller summarises how the Overwatch experience has shifted away from "player freedom and creativity in order to create a more balanced, consistent and competitive experience for players". It's possible, however, that Overwatch 2 will swing back in the other direction, as Blizzard are now "exploring how we can test different forms of 6v6 in the game to gauge the results", with a view to restoring some of the joyful chaos that saw entire teams of Reinhardts charging the objective in formation.

"The community has, juuuust once or twice, suggested a test," Keller writes in the post. "Why not put various forms of 6v6 in the game in order to gauge the results? We agree, and based on your feedback, we're exploring how we can test different forms of 6v6 in the game to gauge the results."

Don't expect those tests to begin anytime soon, however, as there are a number of obstacles. "The first, and honestly largest, reason is the need to do this in a way that allows the game to have optimized technical performance (I'm referring to framerate and memory constraints) with 12 players in a match," Keller goes on.

He notes that Overwatch 2 has seen several upgrades and additions that impact performance, such as HUD outlines for allied heroes and fancier map fixtures. "In a 6v6 setting, these upgrades can have significant impacts for our players, causing the game to underperform on older systems. Overwatch is a fast-paced game, and maintaining a game that runs smoothly across all our platforms is important for the player's experience."

As such, "while a limited time test