Overwatch Originally Considered 7v7 Teams Before Settling on Smaller Matches

garrytebre

The original Overwatch almost featured teams of seven players battling each other, instead of the five or six players that became standard. Although this larger team size was ultimately deemed too chaotic at the time, the idea of 7v7 matches isn't entirely off the table for future consideration.

Recently, during the Group Up! podcast, Overwatch 2 content creators SVB and Flats spoke with game director Aaron Keller and lead hero designer Alec Dawson. One of the key topics discussed was the potential return of 6v6 gameplay in Overwatch 2, which Keller had previously confirmed the team plans to test.

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Interestingly, Keller also revealed that during early development, Overwatch tested teams of seven players facing off against one another, rather than the six that eventually launched. The feedback at the time suggested that these matches felt overly chaotic, with players feeling "attacked from everywhere at the same time." However, Keller hinted that the decision could be revisited in the future, saying, “the right decisions could change over time. So, like, hey, maybe that’s something you revisit, right?” This suggests that Overwatch 2 might not be entirely opposed to experimenting with 7v7 matches again.

The size of teams in Overwatch 2 has been a hotly debated topic. One of the most significant changes from the original game to its sequel was the reduction from 6v6 to 5v5, which removed the second tank hero from teams. This change placed additional pressure on tanks and created challenges in balancing them without making them either too powerful or too easily ignored. Keller recently addressed these concerns and announced that future game tests might explore the return of 6v6 gameplay in some capacity.