Overwatch 2 has garnered practically endless criticism since its release last year. Though fans are upset with monetization and hero reworks being drastically underwhelming, there’s still one bigger issue many players simply can’t ignore.
Many aspects of Overwatch 2 are fundamentally similar to the original game, but the biggest change of all is the switch from a six-vs-six structure to five-vs-five. The elimination of one tank hero drastically altered game chemistry, and more importantly, cast many friends out of pre-build teams or casual groups when the change came through. Yet with the recent success of nostalgic game modes like Fortnite’s OG release this month, some Overwatch 2 players are questioning if six-vs-six gameplay is really gone forever.
It’s no mystery many players continue to be dissatisfied with the elimination of one tank hero from each team in Overwatch 2. Aside from the newfound pressure being put on solo tank players, the element of synergy between a main tank and off-tank player is completely gone, which leaves other teammates vulnerable. Overwatch 2 is now a game of survival as much as it is about tactics and teamwork.
Though players have, for the most part, accepted Overwatch 2 will never be six-vs-six again, at least in competitive and professional play, some fans on Reddit have an idea for how players could get some of the experience back.
“What’s stopping them from putting a single 6v6 mode in Arcade?” one OW2 player asked in that vein today, prompting a discussion in the Overwatch fandom.
There are certainly questions about the viability of an Arcade mode that includes six-vs-six, as the integral structure of Overwatch 2‘s engine isn’t built to support 12 players in a lobby anymore. Yet the original poster and commenters brought up points about other dramatic and chaotic Arcade modes, like Mystery Heroes and Total Mayhem.
While many did agree, others instead pinpointed a different and very relevant topic; a different type of player that has emerged as the sequel continues to grow in popularity. Of course, we’re talking about the “classic” Overwatch player. While many don’t notice flaws in five-vs-five Overwatch, longtime players who have anticipated the game since Blizzard’s original announcement of the game nine years ago long to feel the exhilaration of playing the game again for the first time.
With the recent success of Fortnite OG, which saw players coming back to the battle royale in droves to relive the thrills of 2018, players asked—why can’t Blizzard do the same? “I would argue adding back 6v6 would bring in more people,” one player suggested in the conversation. “I have friends that refuse to play because of 5v5.”
In fact, Blizzard has already done something similar to Fortnite OG, making a “classic” version of World of Warcraft, which at times has had a more vocal fanbase than the current version of the MMO roleplaying game. Clearly, once a game has grown enough to have a wide range of players, those who have been there since the beginning long for a taste of the past.
