Overwatch 2 Director Discusses Criteria for Evaluating the Return of 6v6 Gameplay Following OW Classic Success

In a recent announcement, Aaron Keller, Game Director for Overwatch 2, outlined the approach his team will take to evaluate the impending 6v6 gameplay tests, as well as the performance metrics of Overwatch Classic during Season 13.

With the commencement of Season 14 on December 10, Overwatch 2 is poised to reintroduce the long-requested 6v6 mode in a series of limited-time tests aimed at shaping the game’s future direction.

The 6v6 role queue matches will be activated on December 17, 2024, and will continue until January 6, 2025. This event will feature specific balancing adjustments to accommodate teams composed of two tanks once more.

The outcomes from these tests will provide critical insights that could influence the game’s trajectory, particularly as many players have expressed a desire for a return to the classic 6v6 setup following their dissatisfaction with the current 5v5 format.

Insights from Overwatch Classic’s Performance Preceding 6v6 Tests

Keller highlighted various methods the team employs to assess player engagement, noting two primary metrics: the proportion of players participating in a mode and the total hours logged in that mode.

“When Classic launched, an impressive 36% of all player hours were dedicated to that mode. However, after three weeks, this engagement dwindled to approximately 4%. Such a decline is typical for event modes towards their conclusion,” he explained.

With Overwatch Classic’s first run over, I wanted to give a glimpse of how it did – and give a framework for analyzing upcoming 6v6 tests. We look at player engagement in different ways, two of the bigger ones are the % of our audience and the % of hours played in a mode.

— Aaron Keller (@aaronkellerOW) December 7, 2024

Further, Keller reported that 71% of players engaged with the mode at least once on its launch day, although this figure decreased to 11% as the event came to a close. Despite the drop, this engagement level made Classic the fourth most popular mode just before it was retired.

The other metric, percent of players, saw 71% of all players try the mode at least once on launch day. This number fell to about 11% by the end of Classic. This falloff is normal, but having 11% of players continue to engage made this our 4th most popular mode at the time.

— Aaron Keller (@aaronkellerOW) December 7, 2024

“Overall, we’re quite pleased with how well Classic performed, and we’re looking forward to its return in Season 14, this time highlighting a distinct gameplay period,” Keller mentioned. “We’re not ready to disclose the exact date yet, but it will be announced soon.”

Keller referred to the Moth meta showcased in the Season 14 trailer, where Mercy’s powerful ultimate and resurrection abilities dominated the gameplay landscape.

For the Overwatch 2 development team to consider the reintroduction of 6v6 a success, it will be crucial to replicate the engagement metrics from Overwatch Classic. The objective is to ensure a substantial number of players not only participate but also remain invested throughout the duration of the event.

Source & Images