Overwatch 2 6v6 Role Queue Times Are Proving to Be a Problem

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Summary

  • Overwatch 2 6v6 tests face long queue times due to lack of tank players, causing frustration among DPS and support roles.
  • The tank role in 6v6 is unpopular, leading to near-instant queues for tanks while DPS and support wait times can reportedly exceed 10 minutes.
  • Overwatch 2 plans to address queue issues by introducing a new 6v6 Min 1, Max 3 game mode to allow more flexibility in hero selection.

As a seasoned gamer who has witnessed the evolution of multiplayer games over the years, I must say that the current state of Overwatch 2’s 6v6 tests leaves me with a sense of déjà vu. It seems we are once again grappling with the age-old problem of role imbalance, specifically an insufficient number of tank players leading to prolonged queue times for DPS and support roles.

In the tests for team-vs-team battles (6v6) within Overwatch 2, there’s a recurring issue: too few tanks are being utilized, which is leading to extended wait times for other players and causing frustration. It appears that, despite efforts to do so, the 6v6 tests in Overwatch 2 have not managed to bypass the persistent role queue problems that plagued the original game.

The game Overwatch 2 is now conducting trials of a 6v6 setup, using the existing 2-2-2 role queue team composition until January 7, 2025. A second trial has been planned for the new year, starting on January 21 and running through February 4, featuring the Min 1, Max 3 game mode.

Now that the first 6v6 test in Overwatch 2 has been ongoing for approximately a week, players are facing an issue that’s become commonplace. As the initial excitement subsides, wait times for damage and support heroes have been increasing significantly, with some Overwatch 2 enthusiasts like Drunken_Queen on Reddit reporting wait times of up to 10 minutes for a single match. Interestingly, tanks seem to have instant queues, suggesting that there are fewer players opting to play the tank role.

Overwatch 2 6v6 DPS and Support Queues are Too Long

During busy periods, wait times for roles in 6v6 matches of Overwatch 2 are significantly shorter than Drunken_Queen’s report indicated at the time of publication. The estimated waiting period ranged from two to five minutes for both roles, with tanks consistently taking less than a minute. In contrast, all roles in 5v5 matches had queue times under a minute. Although it is possible that Drunken_Queen’s wait times were overstated or measured during off-peak hours, their assertion remains valid – there are relatively few tank players participating in 6v6 games.

Interestingly enough, the developers of Overwatch 2 predicted this very outcome before the 6v6 tests started. According to Overwatch 2‘s game director Aaron Keller, he believed that combating long queue times was a major reason for transitioning from 6v6 to 5v5. He anticipated that the 6v6 tests would support this theory. As these tests are now in progress, it appears that Keller’s prediction holds true.

As a passionate Overwatch gamer, I’ve been intrigued by the chatter among the community about the scarcity of tank players. Some folks think the role isn’t as enjoyable to play, while others believe 6v6 might not be as widely played as its vocal supporters claim. However, Blizzard is proactively addressing this issue. In the upcoming Overwatch 2 test, they’re ditching role queues and allowing players to switch among one to three heroes in each role for 6v6 games. Keller, Overwatch 2’s Director, expressed optimism that this change will resolve the queue time issues we encountered with 6v6 in the past. So, let’s wait and see how this experiment unfolds!

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2024-12-24 02:10