The issue of 5v5 and Tanks in Overwatch 2 is an ongoing hot topic, and players feel that at this point the Tank role is not worth bothering with anymore.
One of the biggest shifts from the OG title to Overwatch 2 is taking the conventional 6v6 multiplayer model that the first game had become so well-known for and decreasing games to just 5v5. In Overwatch 1, it was common to have two players occupying each role e.g. two Tanks, two Damage, and two Support.
However, thanks to a vastly shifted dynamic, Overwatch’s 2 5v5 formula has actually created dissension and a disturbance in the community. Many months into the game’s lifecycle and OW2 fans believe that due to a handful of reasons the Tank role is the one that everyone tries to avoid at all costs.
“You just can’t play as a Tank” in Overwatch 2
Reddit user DomDomBrah posed a question to the OW2 subreddit: “How do you feel about 5v5 now?”. They offered their thoughts on how the franchise has changed, for the worse, due to the switch to 5v5 gameplay.
“It’s been almost a year of 5v5. Needless to say, people should be used to 5v5 now but I want opinions from players who played 6v6. How does it compare to 5v5? Personally, I prefer 6v6 a lot more than 5v5. Best way I can put it is 6v6 felt like a TEAM game where you actually had backup. 5v5 feels like it demands too much individual effort to win.”
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“I don’t mind the change but I almost never tank now. It feels too lonely,” was a glaring top comment, whereas another user said: “Tank was so close to Support as my main role, since the switch I’ve had like 5 games and they’ve all been so toxic. I cannot put up with that pressure.”
One resounding response went in hard on the Tank role believing that while the lack of 6v6 is a reason for the Tank’s failings, it’s also down to the negativity and toxicity of the community itself.
“People are d**ks now and you can’t just play as a Tank. Since you have way too much responsibility. If your style of play doesn’t work perfectly for others they demand you switch or say you’re terrible. But even if I’m 9/1 and fighting 2 by myself and winning. I’m the worst tank ever if I’m not babysitting asshats who want to shoot while sitting behind a shield. It f**king sucks.
It’s no secret that players have been desperate for the devs to bring back 6v6. While there is a clever 6v6 workshop mode that recaptures some of the magic, the loyal fanbase clearly wants more to make the game a better experience.
