Overwatch 2 PVP Will Have Five-Player Teams, Not Six

Blizzard today revealed more details about the upcoming Overwatch 2, specifically how player-vs-player multiplayer matches will work. The biggest change is that, unlike the original game, these matches will no longer have six players per side. Instead, each team will have only five players per side. This will likely change everything about the way we play the game.

Blizzard developers announced the change during a livestream that also showed off several maps on which players can expect to battle — New York, Monte Carlo, Toronto, and Rio. The current plan for teams in this game, if the demonstrations are anything to go by, is to have one tank with two damage heroes and two support. There’s also been an update to the interface, which, among other things, makes it easier for support players to see who’s getting a heal.

Naturally, this change will mean players used to the “meta” of the previous game will have to adapt. No longer are we doing the two-tank game — Blizzard says it wants tanks to be more active in combat. One example in the gameplay reveal is that Winston now has a secondary fire for his cannon, which can be charged. Other character tweaks include Mei’s endothermic blaster no longer freezing enemies in place, and all tanks overall taking less damage while support players will have a passive healing ability.

We still likely won’t see this game until next year, but Blizzard will likely still release more information in the interim to keep interest in the new title high. It’s already promised several additions to the Overwatch formula, including several new heroes (including the mysterious Sojourn), story missions, and new gameplay modes. In the meantime, players of the original Overwatch who’ve perfected their six-player teams should enjoy the original game while they can, as the new game will mean big changes.