Overwatch 2 devs experimenting with new competitive queues only for GM players

Overwatch 2’s devs announced in a Q&A that they are experimenting with a new competitive queue, but one only for GM players. 

When Valorant announced their Premier mode, many Overwatch players were upset that their competitor received a competitive tournament mode first. A mode that players have been asking about for quite some time. 

But now, it seems the devs may have listened to their players after all, as Blizzard has teased a new competitive queue for the higher ranks is in the works. 

In a Q&A with Overwatch streamers Eskay and Jay3, Systems Designer Gavin Winter shared that the team has been planning and is working on a competitive mode exclusively for GM players. 

“We are thinking about ways that let GM players play together in a competitive setting that isn’t necessarily a competitive role queue,” he said during the stream.

He said that in response to a question asking if GM players would ever be able to queue with more than just two. He initially talked about the difficulties which they face when pitting GM players against each other. 

Talking about how most GM to Top 500 players are mostly either streamers, Contenders, or OWL players. Because of that, it is hard for the ranked system to find a good match for all players, he stressed. Let alone in a timely manner. 

Winter also mentioned that if they allowed five-stacking in GM lobbies, it could result in matches that were not fair.

As he explained, “allowing big stacks mean the matchmaker might not be able to find a match that is fair.” Continuing with an example, “if the stack is big enough, with three OWL players, and there aren’t OWL players on the other team to match against.”

And he says the new mode they’re working on could alleviate the wants from high ranked players and could allow them to stack a full team.