Overwatch 2 Tournament Mode Coming If All Goes Well in Season 5
Overwatch 2 may not be getting the extensive PvE mode that was promised for years, but Blizzard is hoping to make up for it with a bunch of new content — not all of which come for free.
Season 5 came with several limited-time modes and an interesting new way to experience Legendary skins. Then, Overwatch 2: Invasion was revealed, which will include a new competitive game mode and smaller PvE experiences. Now, it’s looking like an often-asked-for tournament mode could also be coming to Overwatch 2.
Overwatch 2 developers are looking to improve the game’s ranked experience and seem to be taking cues from the passionate and critical Overwatch community. Now, developers are working on a new tournament mode.
Game Director Aaron Keller explained that the upcoming Season 5 game mode — a 5v5 team queue mini-season without taking SR into consideration — may be a test for a tournament mode that the team is confirmed to be planning right now.
Is Overwatch 2 Getting a Tournament Mode
A new blog post has revealed developers’ plans for an upcoming tournament system.
Season 5 is getting multiple modes, including a fourth one that’s being called the 5v5 Ranked Mini-Season. This mode will require players to enter with a pre-made five-stack if they want to queue in.
“Internally, we’re watching your reaction to this mode closely,” Keller said. “This is a different type of competition and rating than our standard ranked mode. If this proves popular, it could open the door for other types of competition in our game that are based on teams.”
Keller then mentioned an “internal tournament system.” Developers have been discussing the possibility of a solo/duo “mini-season.” This was initially scrapped over developers’ fears that it could “pull too many players away” from ranked play. But it’s now on the table again as long as the upcoming 5v5 Ranked Mini-Season goes well.
More Ranked Changes Being Discussed by Overwatch 2
Keller also opened up about other plans that developers have for ranked play. The team is currently looking to make adjustments to various quality-of-life changes to ranked, including grouping restrictions.
Currently, players cannot queue together in competitive if their ranks are too far apart. It has become a highly discussed issue, especially in higher ranks.
“How does it make sense that I can’t group with 80% of the people in the solo Q competitive lobby?” one GM-ranked player asked. “Furthermore, how does it make sense to vilify people for making alt accounts to Q with the friends that they make in those lobbies?”
This restriction is not present in the 5v5 Ranked Mini-Season, which doesn’t consider rank or SR. How this mode goes will determine how Overwatch 2 developers handle ranked grouping restrictions in future seasons, according to Keller.
