Overwatch 2 6v6 Open Queue is great but there’s one major problem holding it back

6v6 Competitive is back in Overwatch 2 and players are loving it, but there’s one issue that’s stopping it from being a home run.

The decision to switch from 6v6 to 5v5 matches when Overwatch 2 launched was a controversial one, with much of the community calling for the original format to return. Blizzard have repeatedly explained their reasons for the change, but the heated discussion has continued within the player base.

Since then, the devs have run a number of limited tests, usually away from the core modes, to see whether switching back is a viable option. The latest of these arrived after the mid-season 15 update, bringing 6v6 Competitive back in Open Queue.

The mode has already gone down well among fans, but there’s still one drawback that’s hard to ignore.

Overwatch 2 players can’t find Tanks on 6v6

Since 6v6 Competitive returned, players have been reporting that they’re struggling to find a second Tank as teammates decide to play Damage or Support instead, resulting in unbalanced teams. Open Queue has a maximum limit of two Tanks, but teams can choose to go with one or even no Tanks in favor of stacking in other roles.

Blizzard

This led to plenty of posts from players calling for a Role Queue, with ‘Yonderdead‘ posting: “I was buzzing to try 6v6 again in this new comp mode, but most of my games so far have been me desperately trying to fill holes.”

“Overwatch has been out for almost a decade and people are still trying to run no tank in comp.”

As many pointed out, this isn’t a new issue for Overwatch. Back when the game was 6v6 as standard, teams picking unbalanced roles was a constant obstacle in Open Queue, but in those days the Role Queue option was there.

“We already know that there aren’t enough tank players for 6v6 role queue and people aren’t going to pick tanks in open queue,” said another Reddit user. “We’ve been here before. We’ve been here years ago. The problem is still not solved.”

There are a number of different reasons why players might be avoiding Tanks. Some prefer the chaos of running three or more Damage or Support heroes, while others don’t like the pressure of being the focal point of the team.

But despite this problem, the return of 6v6 has been a success for the most part. So we’ll have to see if it sticks around long-term in Season 16 and beyond.