Overwatch is introducing a feature meant to balance out teams and encourage players to think more about team composition with Role Queue, coming September 1.
Blizzard is bringing a massive, much-requested change to Overwatch starting with the upcoming Patch 1.39, and it affects something that happens before a match even begins.
When that update drops Sept. 1, players will see the new Role Queue system before each Quick Play and Competitive match. This new change asks them to choose whether they want to play tank, DPS, or support. Matchmaking takes these choices and pairs teams of two tanks, two healers, and two damage-dealers, forcing players to only select characters from the role they chose.
It may look like a small change on the surface if you’re not a competitive Overwatch player, but it has enormous implications. For one, it defines a specific way of playing the game. It eliminates oddball strategies like parties loading their team with only tanks and healers in favor of starting each side off on equal, balanced footing. It also deals with a common problem where random teammates wouldn’t pay attention to team composition at all. This oversight left teams with tons of DPS, but no one to heal or tank. Players who don’t want to use Role Queue have that option with a new Arcade mode called Quick Play Classic.
On the Role Queue screen, players will be able to see separate wait times for each role based on how many people are choosing it. That means that support characters are going to experience shorter wait times than a DPS one. This alteration may encourage players who usually stick with one character to mix things up. If a role is particularly in demand at the moment, players who choose it may even be granted a reward, like a bonus loot box.
The system goes much deeper than that. Currently, players are given a Matchmaking Rating in Quick Play or a Skill Rating in Competitive Play, which determines what players they pair up in a game. When the update hits, players receive a separate rating for each role. So if you’re a great healer but a poor DPS, you’ll face tougher opponents when you’re playing Mercy than when you go with Orisa.
Competitive placement will also get tied to roles. You’ll need to complete placement matches separately for each position, but only five games are required to place, rather than the ten required now.
Role Queue is available now on the public test realm on PC. A Role Queue Beta Competitive Season runs from Aug. 13 to Sept. 1. The system officially launches for all players Sept. 1, along with the start of Competitive Season 18.
