Overwatch’s new update brings sweeping Tank changes to test further 6-vs-6 improvements
Overwatch’s July 30 update changes Tank balance and healing rules for a weekend six-versus-six trial in Quick Play Hacked’s Open Queue mode. The test matters because Blizzard is continuing to assess whether larger teams improve gameplay, while trying to prevent two Tanks per side from making matches overly defensive.
In-combat healing reduction has been cut from 30% to 15% for all heroes, while ultimate charge gained from damaging or healing Tanks is reduced by 40%, up from 20%. Several Tank abilities now have shorter cooldowns but, in some cases, shorter durations: Domina, Hazard, Mauga and Ramattra receive cooldown reductions, while Domina and Ramattra’s barriers last one second less; Doomfist’s shield gain rises from 25 to 30. Subrole passives have also been reduced or adjusted, including slower Bruiser movement bonuses and lower Health Pack health for Flankers.
In short
- Six-versus-six returns for a weekend Quick Play test.
- Healing and Tank ultimate charge rules have changed.
- Tank cooldowns fall, while some defensive effects shorten.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the trial can argue that six-versus-six restores a team format many players value and gives Blizzard evidence about whether larger teams make matches more engaging. Reducing the healing penalty may make fights feel less punishing, while tuning Tank abilities and ultimate charge aims to limit defensive stalemates and improve balance.
The case against
Sceptics can argue that adding a second Tank may make fights harder to read and more dependent on coordinated teams, even with these adjustments. Because the changes alter healing, ultimate charge, abilities and role passives at once, results from a weekend trial may be difficult to interpret and may not show whether six-versus-six itself improves the game.
Explained simply
Overwatch is a competitive team-based online game where players control characters of different types, each serving a distinct role in battle. The Tank role—characters designed to absorb damage and control areas—has long been central to the game's competitive balance.
Blizzard, Overwatch's developer, has been testing larger team formats to improve how the game plays at its core. In particular, the company has been concerned that multiple Tanks on the same team can make matches extremely defensive and slow, which diminishes enjoyment for players.
The company is therefore experimenting with six-versus-six matches and adjusting how powerful Tank abilities are to ensure the role remains useful without becoming too dominant. How well these experiments work will help determine Overwatch's future direction, making this test important for anyone invested in the game's long-term balance.