Overwatch 2 teases balance changes for upcoming 6v6 tests

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Key points

  • Tank cooldowns will be increased for 6v6 tests in Overwatch 2 to rebalance gameplay.
  • Some heroes receive nerfs, while a couple of supports receive buffs to adapt to the new 6v6 format.
  • The changes aim to reduce visual clutter, maintain smooth crowd control, and balance hero power levels.



Surveillance 2 recently teased some of the balance changes for Season 14 6v6 testing, including cooldown adjustments, reversals to several hero reworks, and reductions in the duration of barriers and obstacles on the battlefield. These and other changes will be implemented in an effort to adapt Surveillance 2 to the 6v6 format when the first Test begins around December 17.

6v6 is officially back Surveillance 2 in the form of Overwatch: Classic. However, this is just the start of a larger experiment with six-player teams, with two different 6v6 tests planned Surveillance 2 Season 14. To facilitate these tests, some heroes will undergo specific changes in this game mode.

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During a recent interview with Surveillance 2 content creator Spilo and lead gameplay designer Alec Dawson provided some examples of these changes. Many tanks inside Surveillance 2 are receiving nerfs in the form of higher cooldowns on their abilities, such as with Ramattra's Void Barrier and Reinhardt's Charge. Others receive reversions to Surveillance 2 Changes – Zarya's Barriers are on separate cooldowns again, Reinhardt loses a charge of Fire Strike, and the riding efficiency in Charge and Roadhog's rework has been completely reversed.



Overwatch 2 6v6 specific balance changes confirmed

  • Tank nerf
    • Many cooldown increases, including:
      • Ramattra's Void Barrier
      • Reinhardt's charge
      • Reinhardt's Fire Shot (now has a charge)
      • Zarya's bubbles have separate cooldowns
    • Passive tank crit reduction and crowd control tasks have been removed, health decreased
    • Reinhardt can cancel the charge, but maneuverability has been reduced
    • Roadhog's rework is undone, losing Pig Pen and Take a Breather resource meter, but regaining his alternate fire
  • Supportive fans
    • Zenyatta's Orb of Discord no longer has a cooldown per target and has an increased effect
    • The cooldowns of Ana's Sleep Dart and Biotic Grenade are reduced
  • General changes
    • Auto-heal activates after 7 seconds, instead of 5 (support is 3.5 seconds)
    • Persistent obstacles such as Lifeweaver's Tree of Life and Mauga's Cage Fight will have a reduced duration


That said, some heroes, especially supports Surveillance 2 – are instead receiving boosts to help them juggle larger teams. For example, Zenyatta's Orb of Discord has an increased effect and no longer has a per-target cooldown, while Ana's Sleep Dart and Biotic Grenade both have reduced cooldowns.

These balance changes may seem familiar, as they cause heroes to play similarly to how they do in Overwatch: Classic. In general, the design philosophy of 6v6 testing is to move power away from the tanks, reduce visual clutter and complexity, but maintain Surveillance 2the “soft crowd control” approach of. The duration of obstacles such as Lifeweaver's Tree of Life and Mauga's Cage Fight will be reduced, tank passives will be removed, and the self-healing factor will take two seconds longer to activate. Not everything will be restored. Surveillance 2 levels, however: Winston retains his alternate fire, and Mei does not recover her Endothermic Blaster's freeze. It looks like 6v6 testing will be an interesting intersection between Surveillance 1 AND 2 design philosophies.


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