Overwatch brings back 6v6 Role Queue for Season 6 mini season
Blizzard will test the 2-2-2 Role Queue format for the first four weeks of Season 6 alongside standard 5v5 and Open Queue.
Overwatch is adding a four-week 6v6 Role Queue Competitive mini season at the start of Season 6. Game director Aaron Keller confirmed the test with matchmaking changes and a dedicated balance patch.
Key takeaways
- Season 6 opens with a four-week 6v6 Role Queue Competitive test.
- Players can choose standard 5v5 Competitive, 6v6 Open Queue and 6v6 Role Queue on Day 1.
- Role Queue locks teams into two tanks, two damage heroes and two supports.
- Two earlier 6v6 Role Queue tests this year did not meet player expectations.
- 32% of survey respondents strongly favored their own format of choice.
Blizzard is bringing back 6v6 Role Queue for Competitive play in Overwatch Season 6 as a four-week test starting on the first day of the season, TalkEsport reported.
Game director Aaron Keller confirmed the “2-2-2 Role Queue Competitive mini season” in a Director’s Take post shared by Blizzard on X at 17:02 UTC on 10 November. The test arrives with a dedicated balance patch for 6v6 and matchmaking changes intended to keep queues short.
Players will be able to choose between the standard 5v5 Competitive mode, 6v6 Open Queue and the new 6v6 Role Queue.
Blizzard did not give a launch date in the post, but Season 5’s final events run until 7 December, and fan site Overwatch Cavalry lists the test for 8 December.
Why it matters
Overwatch moved from six-player teams to five-player teams when Overwatch 2 replaced the original game in 2023, according to Wikipedia. The original Overwatch, released in 2016, assigned players into two teams of six, Wikipedia noted.
Role Queue locks each team into two tanks, two damage heroes and two supports, the format Overwatch used before it moved to five-player teams. Keller said 6v6 Open Queue had steadily grown in popularity and was the second most-played mode in Season 5, TalkEsport reported.
Mystery Madness was close behind. gg reported. gg reported. Keller said Blizzard had been “a little hesitant” to bring 6v6 Role Queue back because queue times “could increase significantly,” TalkEsport reported.
What happens next
Blizzard will monitor queue times closely to ensure everything stays healthy, Keller said. Mystery Madness will return in the 2027 iteration of Overwatch Season 1 with a new theme, powers and more, esports.gg reported.
Overwatch competitive options on Day 1 of Season 6
Mode | Team size | Status |
|---|---|---|
Standard Competitive | 5v5 | Available |
Open Queue | 6v6 | Available |
Role Queue | 6v6 | Four-week test |
Sources
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