I’m genuinely amazed at how seamlessly the transition to 6v6 feels. It’s almost as if the game, its characters, and its maps were originally designed with this mode in mind. The best word to describe this game mode is “natural.” Not only is 6v6 a fun and refreshing change of pace, but it also addresses many of the long-standing issues in Overwatch 2 while maintaining a sense of familiarity for players who never experienced Overwatch 1 . Before I get into that, I want to talk about some of the things I love about this game mode.
Tank Combos
One of the most gratifying aspects of Overwatch 1 was the synergy between tanks, which encouraged teamwork and communication. Iconic combos like Rein/Zarya, Double Bubble, and the infamous Double Shield were integral to the gameplay. Now, the new tanks fit perfectly into this playstyle, leading to some of the most dynamic and varied tank gameplay in years. Experimenting with different tank pairings has been a blast, and many combos are not only viable but also surprisingly synergistic. Here are a few of my favorites:
Zarya/Mauga – This combo offers a fresh alternative to Zarya/Rein for brawl compositions. It fundamentally fixes Mauga’s typically static playstyle, letting him play more aggressively while keeping Zarya frequently at a high charge. The synergy between bubbling Mauga as he dives in, his self-healing on retreat, and Zarya bubbling herself in creates a fun and addicting gameplay loop. It’s similar to Zarya/Rein but with unique dynamics—Such as how Mauga is more vulnerable with a lack of shield, but offers higher pressure and dps.
Sigma/Ramattra – We know that Rammattra has been in development since around 2017 so it’s not really a surprise that he fits so well in 6v6. If I were to describe this comp with one phrase it would be, “Double Shield but balanced.” This comp is textbook “Poke” gameplay, with Ram and Sig’s team whittling down the enemy team’s resources and picking them from afar behind the safety of their shields. Unlike the dreaded OW1 Double Shield, Ramattra’s smaller, time-limited barrier ensures the pace doesn’t stagnate. That being said, Ram and Sig still both feel viable and tanky thanks to their other sustain abilities. These two have been some of the most consistently balanced characters in this game’s history and their combination being the change that Double Shield needed is just perfect.
Roadhog/Junker Queen – This duo is all about displacement and close-range carnage. Both tanks excel at pulling enemies out of position and annihilating them at close range, with their sustain abilities allowing supports to play more aggressively. Playing this comp makes your team feel like a tornado dragging enemies in and shredding them in a damn blender, it’s awesome.
Of course, there are plenty of other tank combos to explore. I’ll leave it up to you to experiment and discover your favorites.
Pacing and Map Design
Maps feel far more intuitive with 6v6. Choke points now act as true choke points, thanks to the added sustain from the second tank, creating a slightly slower pace without the stagnation of OW1’s Double Shield. Flank routes are more viable for a broader range of heroes, not just traditional flankers like Tracer or Genji. Fights remain chaotic and energetic, but with a more balanced rhythm.
The presence of two tanks creates an engaging dynamic—one can peel while the other takes space, one can hold the high ground while the other holds low, or both can focus on a choke point at the risk of exposing flanks. This flexibility makes the game far more engaging and layered.
In 5v5, if one team gets a pick, nine times out of ten the other team will lose that fight, setting them on a downward spiral as the now winning team has more ult charge and momentum which inevitably results in a steamroll, especially if that initial pick was on the tank. Now, that’s no longer the case as your team doesn’t just lose the fight even if it’s a tank that gets picked. That being said, I’ve had games where the steamrolls were even more severe than in 5v5 but honestly, I still prefer that. Steamrolls are inevitable as the matchmaking is not perfect. Getting steamrolled in 5v5 feels like a 15-20 minute slog where you’re just delaying the inevitable. While steamrolls in 6v6 only last a couple of minutes in which you can just move on to a new game afterward.
What 6v6 Fixes
Counter-Swapping – As most of us know, the most significant improvement is how 6v6 mitigates the counter-swapping problem. Arguments on the matter usually boil down to one side saying “Counter swapping isn’t fun, reduces individual skill expression, and makes for a boring rock, paper, scissors gameplay loop.” While the other side says “Counter-swapping is engaging and strategic, and an essential part of what makes the game fun and dynamic as you can’t just stick to one character and strategy.” 6v6 heavily reduces the effect of counter-swapping, making it so that swapping tanks doesn’t blatantly determine the outcome of the game. Swapping remains relevant and engaging—hitscan for fliers, Ana for self-healing tanks, Junk or Bastion for shields—It’s still there, it’s still dynamic and fun and interesting it’s just no longer a problem.
Overpowered Supports – Balancing supports in 5v5 has been a persistent challenge. Abilities like Ana’s Biotic Grenade and Kiriko’s Suzu became disproportionately impactful. In 6v6, the presence of a second tank naturally balances supports, reducing their overwhelming influence without diminishing their utility as most of them had to be buffed to compensate for the second tank. This creates a healthier balance where supports and tanks feel both impactful and manageable. Ana’s made can still win fights on its own, it’s just less likely to. Leading Ana players to be more patient and strategic with their nades. Suzu is still crazy and can make crazy saves, but it’s not the end-all-be-all solution now that there is another tank they have to save people from. They are both more powerful and weaker which is what we know as, balance.
Compensating for Weak Players – In 5v5, a single underperforming player can doom an entire team. We all have those off days, or maybe we’re just really struggling against an enemy player whos going ham, or maybe the matchmaking sucks and puts us somewhere we don’t belong. With 6v6, the added player has the potential to pick up the slack, leading to more consistent and less one-sided games. In 5v5 if a player is throwing, you just lose. In 6v6 if a player is throwing, not all hope is lost. I’m sure there are more things that 6v6 fixes, and maybe even some new problems it creates, but this is just what I’ve observed in my matches.
Final Thoughts
6v6 isn’t perfect, but it’s a remarkable improvement over what I imagined. Sadly, as promising as it is, I doubt it’s enough to reverse the damage done by the devs’ poor business decisions, questionable patches, and departure from the original game’s design philosophy—especially with how successful Marvel Rivals is becoming. Many players are unaccustomed to the teamwork and communication required in 6v6 because Overwatch 2 deliberately shifted away from these principles. I had several matches in which a tank I was paired with ran in guns blazing alone and got shredded for it because they aren’t used to not being a super-powered mega tank and that’s not their fault. Overwatch will forever be cursed with being a game that requires an unrealistic amount of teamwork and communication from a bunch of chronically online, unhinged, and anti-social strangers. However, I don’t think the solution is to make the game easier for individuals. Instead, I believe the answer is to design the game around encouraging teamwork. Feed in to player’s natural selfish desires by rewarding them for playing as a team. Mirrorwatch was a super fun and successful event for this reason, like when they turned Rein’s shield into a Bap window or how Sombra could hack teammates and give them a dps boost.
I hope the developers take note of how much potential this mode has. With new maps and characters, 6v6 could breathe new life into the game. But given the history, I wouldn’t be surprised if Overwatch 2 eventually ends up in stasis like its predecessor.
Thanks for sticking with me through this long read—I truly appreciate it!
