Overwatch 2 players vote on 5v5 vs 6v6 as the debate refuses to die

Overwatch 2’s eternal argument, 5v5 vs 6v6 is raging again, and players can’t seem to come to any consensus on what they’d prefer. 

It’s likely that the Overwatch 2 composition debate will never die. Ever since the sequel was released, removing a tank from the game, the discussion as to whether it was better with six or five players on a team has raged on. 

While the discussion comes in waves, it’s not one that has ever died down. And it appears we’re in the middle of another wave now. This largely stems from discussions around Tank players, and the “rock/paper/scissors”-esque aspect of the role now where some feel they need to switch tank in a certain matchup. Content creator Flats spoke about this new wave of discussion and the Tank’s perspective on the issue in a recent video. 

For many, 6v6 would help mitigate this by giving tanks a partner to off-tank or relieve pressure. However, many still think that 5v5 remains the way to go. 

This community division has been highlighted in a heavily voted-for poll hosted by ex-pro Overwatch player, Jake. In a poll posted on X that was voted on by over 33k people, it ended in a near-perfect split. Ultimately 5v5 won with 51.9% of people voting for Overwatch 2’s current status. 

6v6 or 5v5?

— Jake (@jakeow) March 31, 2024

Of course, Twitter polls aren’t super reliable. There’s no way to verify voters or prove it’s not been manipulated. That said, it’s a very illustrative poll that seems to point to how divided the engaged sections of the community are on the issue. 

Now, don’t expect Blizzard to revert their decision on this soon, if ever. It’s clear they’re committed to 5v5, making heroes specifically with it in mind, and it would take some serious rebalancing of newer heroes to make work. You can even go play 6v6 with some friends in Overwatch 2 right now to see how it actually plays.

However, the core issue feels entirely about the pressure on Tanks and the need for them to continuously swap. Team 4 should put serious effort into fixing these issues to help the pain points of the role. Hopefully, in an upcoming patch, Blizzard will try rebalancing the role to make it more palatable for everyone, and the debate can once again die down.