Activision Blizzard just hosted its Overwatch 2 Player VS Player livestream update, and it’s a doozy for those used to the 6v6 format.

According to the new Overwatch game director Aaron Keller, the teams in Overwatch 2’s PvP will be reduced from 6 players to 5.

“Overwatch has changed over time. We’ve gone from having no hero limits…to having a hero limit. We ended up introducing a role lock over the course of the game. We feel like this is the next step in the way Overwatch ought to be played.”

So instead of a 2-2-2 format (support, damage, tank), teams will now have just 1 tank to accompany the 2 support and 2 damage heroes. In addition, a new team mode is introduced: Push.

In Push, two teams fight for control over a robot named T.W.OP. who will push a special barricade for the team controlling it. Whoever has their barricade pushed the furthest wins.

Character Changes In Overwatch 2

Yep, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for: hero buffs & nerfs. Here are the following noteworthy changes:

• Mei will get an Endothermic Blaster, which slows enemies and deals additional damage, but no longer freezes enemies in place.
• Winston now has a Tesla Cannon alternate fire. Holding alternate fire charges a single longer-ranged blast of lightning.
• Zarya has two charges on her Bubble Shield ability.
• Reinhardt has two Firestrike charges.
• All support players have a passive healing effect.
• All tanks take less damage and have defense buffs.

Further experimentation required.

All new abilities updates for Winston’s Tesla Cannon and Mei’s Endothermic Blaster coming to Overwatch 2. pic.twitter.com/adGLsGYLD2

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) May 20, 2021

It’ll be interesting to see how the Overwatch League and competitive play as a whole will react to these changes, especially since off-tank players will be losing their jobs. Me personally? I just want to see a single-player campaign that offers a ton of customizability and game-breaking powerups like in all three StarCraft 2 single-player campaigns.

For now, here are a few comments from players all across the ‘net.

https://twitter.com/tusktooths/status/1395474094418706435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1395474094418706435%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcgamer.com%2Ftank-players-are-nervous-about-overwatch-2s-5v5-future%2F