We also ran our first 6v6 events last year and early this year. These took the form of 6v6 Role Queue, and 6v6 Min 1 Max 3. The Role Queue version accounted for nearly 10% of all play hours in the game for most of its event run. For reference, our Role Queued Quick Play mode accounts for roughly 35-40% of play hours (this was lower during the 6v6 tests). There’s definitely a demand for a mode with this team size, but it’s still uncertain how large that demand is. We’re going to run a mini-competitive season of 6v6 starting midseason 15. It’s still a little early to say what 6v6’s place is in Overwatch with a decent amount of people playing it, I think that it’s probably here to stay in some form, but so far, we’re not ready to swap the core format of the game.
It seems to me that if it was truly a 50/50 split or leaning towards those in favour of 2-2-2 that we would see more players in the mode!
However I’d also acknowledge that (as a good friend would be correct to remind us) this is usage rather than popularity data and so it may be premature to draw any conclusion!
I’m just glad they’re giving people every opportunity to show what it is they’re claiming…if it does/doesnt happen it’s not going to be because of what loud individuals claim
I think what we may see now is the goalposts shifting for example it will be claimed that the balance was insufficient hence the lower than expected usage or other justifications will be put forward!
I personally really hope that the future of the game isn’t 2-2-2 or any form of RQ but I’d be okay with open queue!
There’s definitely a demand for a mode with this team size, but it’s still uncertain how large that demand is.
The placement of the modes can clearly have a significant impact on player demand. If I were to design an experiment that was intentionally unfair, I would position the mode in Arcade at the far right side of the screen. I just wanted to add that.
It’s definitely fair to point out that modes in the arcade are at an inherent “visibility” disadvantage however I’d also point out that the original run was on the main screen and then later moved to arcade!
I do also believe that placement within the screen may have some effect on user choice!
I think it would be interesting if this is now acknowledged by some of the more vehement 2-2-2 supporters who years ago opposed the inclusion of open queue!
Because people aren’t going to play what isn’t the MAIN game. That’s how it always is.
If the game was primarly 6v6, shocker! It would be the same exact type of splits for the 5v5 testing mode.
The demand for the mode isn’t in the mode’s playercount. It’s in the fact that the call for 6v6 was so loud that the dev team had no choice but to address it. It’s in all the players that aren’t playing the game BECAUSE it isn’t 6v6.
These tests are stupid when you consider that 5v5 didn’t get extensive testing. The devs didn’t give a damn about player reception to 5v5 then, but now all of a sudden we need to hold tests for a format we saw function, for over 6 years? It’s a joke.
Even being on the main screen doesnt make it a fair comparison. People who routinely log in and play the game and dont really care to do anything out of the ordinary will continue to hit the main quick play button they’re used to without even trying the other one or putting in effort to relearn how to play.
I strongly suspect if you reversed the situation here where 6v6 was the norm and 5v5 was introduced alongside it, you would get the same results in reverse. Most people would still play 6v6 since its the main game mode theyre used to and the game is balanced around, and those with a strong investment will spend some time in the new experimental mode.
Except for the fact that 6v6 supporters went on and on about how no one wants to play 5v5 and now that they had the test of it being in the game, very few actually went over to play it.
How is it that when you finally had the option to play 6v6 consistently that it only got 10% of the total players?
I thought it was the greatest thing ever and 5v5 just doesn’t compare?
Finally we can play nothing but 6v6 during that time aaaaand…. Everyone’s still playing 5v5.
This is even worse when you consider the amount of advertising and hype going into the tests. They included all of the 6v6 tests so to cope and say “well it not fair because it was in arcade” just isn’t true. Front page 6v6, game telling you when you logged in that it’s there to be played, countless streamers and YouTubers talking about it, all for 10%.
I don’t think you realize how big of a fail that is when you consider something like junkenstein’s lab getting 15% total and it had zero hype comparatively.
I would not even disagree. Did you see what they did to our Reinhardt, brother? That was a reality check… I do not even want 6v6 anymore if that is what the future holds for us. Nothing but pain and despair.
“Our highest ranks will shift to include a larger percentage of our total player population, and we should see more players earn the right to call themselves Champions!”
More artificially inflating people’s SR. Awesome Blizzard thanks.
As for 6v6:
“The Role Queue version accounted for nearly 10% of all play hours in the game for most of its event run. For reference, our Role Queued Quick Play mode accounts for roughly 35-40% of play hours (this was lower during the 6v6 tests). There’s definitely a demand for a mode with this team size, but it’s still uncertain how large that demand is. We’re going to run a mini-competitive season of 6v6 starting midseason 15.”
10% is a lot, they’ve said this before with the Classic event. And they saw enough engagement to warrant trying a 6v6 competitive season which was one of the most common requests during the test.
Saying only 10% as if that isn’t a massive amount of players, is a hilarious attempt at trying to diminish what the tests DID accomplish.
The tests were sabotaged. They did exactly what I and many other people predicted they would do.
Keep changes that were made for 5v5, inside the 6v6 tests, make some piss poor attempt at “changing the game”, have the game feel horrible to play and then be shocked when it doesn’t do well.
Moving on.
And yet the devs themselves said that the 6v6 tests were pulling in such great numbers to the point that they had to extend the time period…
Stop it.
Like I told other people. There’s no reason for people to play the 6v6 tests and increase that percentage because people who have been asking for 6v6 don’t need to play a test to know 6v6 is better. They just KNOW it’s better from the 6 years of testing it received prior to OW2 coming out.
It’s that or the other option where they are simply playing marvel rivals where they can get that 6v6 OW1 feeling… while it’s the actual MAIN format of the game and not some arcade test mode.
Blizzard should be embarrassed that netease came into their hero shooter scene and made a game that feels more like OW1, than their own sequel. Whilst also taking away MILLIONS of their players.
The Role Queue version accounted for nearly 10% of all play hours in the game for most of its event run. For reference, our Role Queued Quick Play mode accounts for roughly 35-40% of play hours (this was lower during the 6v6 tests). There’s definitely a demand for a mode with this team size, but it’s still uncertain how large that demand is.
They say 10% is pretty good. I think considering most people treat it as a test or experimental mode; like they play it to try and then swap back, it’s not too bad.
They make no mention of min 1 max 3? Maybe it’s just not good? I wish they were more transparent as possible about the stats.
but so far, we’re not ready to swap the core format of the game.
Having 6v6 available again made me realize that it is my preferred mode. I’ve only been playing 6v6 since it’s available (even m1M3 when I normally don’t touch OQ). If you’re a fan of the mode, I’d suggest working your friends (particularly those who left for MR) to give it a spin.
That said, I’m hopeful that 6v6 will have a spot at the table going forward. Presumably they will rotate through other formats in 6v6 from time to time (e.g., MH, TM, etc.). Not my ideal outcome, but I will be (mostly) happy.
Did you read today’s article and think that what they wrote was positive? Positive in the same way of the post about them extending the test was?
It’s seems abundantly clear that the game mode fizzled out. It didn’t retain players like it did at the start of the test. That’s to be expected of course since people will always try out the new thing when it comes out.
The main takeaway from today is 6v6 isn’t anywhere close to being as successful as people expected it to be.
More artificially inflating people’s SR. Awesome Blizzard thanks.