Overwatch 2 6v6 experimental mode dates revealed

Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch was one of the biggest FPS releases at the time. The game had a unique 6v6 gameplay mode and brought together elements of MOBA and FPS with a heavier focus on the FPS part.

The developer ultimately released Overwatch 2 and one of the biggest changes was a shift to a 5v5 mode, which resulted in a total of ten players on the server. In the latest update, Overwatch 2 will see a 6v6 gameplay experiment to gauge interest and compatibility.

Here’s all that’s new in the latest update including the two 6v6 gameplay experiments and what to expect.

Previously, Activision Blizzard has revealed the 6v6 will be making a comeback as an experiment. However, they have not revealed the exact dates for the same and this latest update brings more clarity to the timeline.

The purpose of these two experimental runs is to see how popular 6v6 is in Overwatch. For many fans, the release of Overwatch 2 and the subsequent move to a 5v5 mode was an unnecessary move by the developers. Bringing 6v6 back into the game would drastically alter the meta once again, especially with an additional player on each team. 

It brings back memories for old players and something new to try for new players. There are two experimental runs both running for nearly 15 days. Here are the start and end dates for the 6v6 gameplay experimental runs.

Both the test runs will have a different set of rules. The first test run that starts on December 17 will have two players in each role and the roles will be selected before queuing. This will ensure that there are two tanks, two DPS and two support players, similar to how Overwatch 1 was intended to play out. 

The second test run that starts in late January 2025 has at least one and three heroes in each roles. However, this time around, players can swap out of their current role as long as at least one other player is in their current role.

This will ensure a balanced approach to team composition, ensuring no team suffers from a 6 DPS hero picks. The removal of one player meant one tank player was no longer a part of team compositions. But it also meant that the tank player is one of the most pivotal roles in Overwatch 2 team compositions.

With two tanks now in the game, it will be interesting to see how things shape up. More importantly, it will be interesting to see the players’ appetite for Overwatch 2 - 6v6 version.

Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Overwatch 2 news and updates