Overwatch 2 won't release this year but Blizzard's been introducing us to some new features. Showing off the sequel's player vs player combat during yesterday's live stream, they revealed a surprise change. PvP is changing to 5v5. Reducing it from Overwatch's current 6v6 structure, game director Aaron Keller confirmed:
We feel like this is the next step in the way that Overwatch ought to be played. "If you think about it, there is a lot going on in an Overwatch map. It is incredibly fast paced. We have always tried to make our combat easy to read and very understandable, and even with all of the work that we've put into that, sometimes it's just hard to track what 11 other players are doing on the battlefield. Removing two of those simplifies everything, and it allows players to understand everything that's happening around them, and to be able to make better choices.
Overwatch 2 PvP's Being Reduced To 5v5 With Only One Tank Per Team
That's left Blizzard taking a new approach to map design and this key change greatly affects tanks, now reduced to one per team. However, lead hero designer Geoff Goodman has confirmed they'll undergo individual changes to make them "a lot more aggressive", outlining Winston's new abilities as seen below.
As you'd expect, Blizzard's latest news has proven rather divisive as it significantly changes the core gameplay, also leaving competitive teams with a difficult decision to make about their future. With three new maps also coming to Overwatch 2, we'll keep you updated with any further developments.
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