Summary
- Overwatch 2 faces a dilemma in deciding between 5v5 and 6v6 team sizes.
- Staying with 5v5 can speed up matches, but switching to 6v6 has strong player demand.
- Attempting a compromise between 5v5 and 6v6 could worsen matchmaking and player experience.
Overwatch 2 has been in lockstep with its predecessor for many decisions, but remains distinct in a few key ways. Perhaps the most substantial difference is the team size in each game. Overwatch 2 is currently litigating whether it should keep its current approach, or return to tradition. A compromise between the two has been floated as a possibility, but would certainly be the worst decision of all.
Overwatch originally featured teams of six players each, while only allowing two players to share each class. Overwatch 2 switched team size to 5v5, with this design intending to drop the limit on tanks from two to one. This was meant to speed up both queue times and the pace of matches themselves, but player outcry has long demanded a return to the six-player teams of yesteryear. While it may be tempting to compromise these approaches, including them both would certainly bring out the worst of both worlds.
Overwatch 2 Can't Afford to Compromise on Team Size Decision
The Case for Staying with 5v5
Overwatch 2's developers correctly outlined a very simple principle when making the switch to smaller team compositions, and this may not be worth abandoning just yet. Smaller teams mean fewer players need to queue up, and this means a faster experience for everyone. Likewise, having one less tank was meant to speed up the pace of each match, though this hasn't always proved successful.
Debating whether to return to Overwatch's larger team size is absolutely a conversation worth having. However, this shouldn't come at the cost of the benefits provided by shrinking the teams in the first place. Decent matchmaking should be one of the first priorities of any competitive shooter, and is the main reason that Overwatch 2 absolutely can't opt for compromise here.
The Case for Returning to 6v6
At this point, many players hold a great deal of nostalgia for Overwatch. After all, not every decision in its sequel has proven entirely successful, and it's only natural to revere the memories that brought many players to this franchise in the first place. Even the simple idea of bringing an additional friend along for the ride is enough to motivate most players, with a 6v6 return in Overwatch 2 gaining more demand by the day.
While it may have shortened matchmaking time for some players, it has also fundamentally altered the state of competition forever. While Overwatch didn't have perfect balancing either, many prefer it to Overwatch 2's evolving meta. Smaller teams have made competitions less complex, and not necessarily in a way that makes them more accessible. In fact, this decision never addressed the problem at hand: Overwatch needs an overhaul to its balancing, not just its matchmaking.
Mixing 5v5 and 6v6 is a Matchmaking Disaster
Both sides of the team size discussion have arguments that are completely valid. However, developers can't make everyone happy, and trying to do so will only result in a disaster for everyone involved. After all, invoking this change as a possibility has already split Overwatch 2's player base in half, and a potential compromise threatens to make that split permanent.
If Overwatch 2 includes separate queues for 5v5s and 6v6s, it will double the wait times it set out to shrink in the first place. At the end of the day, one of these approaches is going to be more popular than the other. At the moment, it seems that a return to 6v6 matches has the favor of the fan base, and including an option for whoever loses this discussion will only make the game more frustrating for everyone.
Overwatch 2 would essentially make the more popular option suffer longer queue times, and the less popular option wouldn't receive any favors either. Players would be interacting less than ever, and in fact be responsible for each other being able to play the game less. This discussion is a healthy one to have, but a permanent divide in its player base would be a controversy that Overwatch 2 cannot withstand.
Overwatch 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
WHERE TO PLAY
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Power up your railgun and disrupt the battlefield as Sojourn, or yield your axe and command attention as Junker Queen. Battle to take control of a robot and move it toward the enemy base in the new Push Mode. Bring the fight to new destinations across the globe in iconic locations like New York, Rome, Monte Carlo and Rio. Daily challenges and frequent updates mean there is always something new to play.
