Overwatch confirms Role Locks for Matches to force team balance
Blizzard is currently testing the biggest change to Meta since Overwatch's release on the PTR: Roll Lock and Roll Queue. Days are now over when GOATS - three tanks and three supporters - was the dominant tactic, but also matches in which each only player chooses a damage dealer, are over.
In a particularly developer update, Game Director Jeff Kaplan introduces the new feature and explores the reasons why it now finds its way into the game. To present the role distribution in all its details, the video is also a little longer than the usual updates of the team.
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So far you have been able to start a match in Overwatch and then play any character regardless of your role. The only restriction was in the rated matches that no character should be represented twice. In addition, the compilation of the individual roles was left to the team itself. That should change.
The new system at a glance:
- If you want to start a match in Overwatch in the future, you have to choose one of three roles: Support, Damage or Tank.
- In the match itself you can then select only characters of your chosen role. For example, if you indicate support, you can not suddenly play Reaper or Soldier 76 in the game.
- Each Overwatch team will consist of two Damage Dealers, two Supporters and two Tanks in the future.
The choice of team combination is taken from the players' hands and each team will always have two characters from each role.
The waiting times could be longer: If you play a particularly popular role, then it may be that you have to wait longer for a match with the new system. Kaplan explains that this problem will most likely affect damage dealers. However, one works on a reward system to remedy this situation.
Heroes are adapted to the new system: Currently, the hero balancing in Overwatch is based on the team composition being completely free. Since the title is designed for a 2-2-2 combination in the future, the heroes will also be adjusted
The current season will end sooner, so you can test the new system. For Blizzard starts on August 13, a two-week beta season.
Officially, the new system will be released on September 1, 2019. But you do not have to do without the old system completely. The arcade should always have a mode called "Quickplay Classic" in which you can still play Overwatch on the old system.
