Overwatch developers discuss 2-2-2 lock and role queue beta season

Overwatch Game Director Jeff Kaplan has confirmed some details of the 2-2-2 lock and discussed Role Queue going live on the Public Test Region.

The announcement and explanation of the new system came in a Developer Update, though initial details had been leaked earlier in the week. In the video, Kaplan discusses the benefits of a locked composition that consists of two tanks, two supports, and two DPS heroes.

The video focused in on the social pressure often placed on players to pick between heroes they enjoy and the heroes that would be most beneficial for the team. The Role Queue system combats this by giving players more control over their play experience. It is a long-requested feature for the game and one many players are eager to try.

The new Role Queue system will transform the current game as it will be applied to both competitive and quick play modes. The game’s internal matchmaking system will be reset once the patch is live and players will be able to receive rankings in each individual role.Additionally, Kaplan stressed that the decision to implement role queue was not done in an effort to force players out of the current meta. Professional Overwatch has been panned throughout 2019 due to the prevalence of the GOATS meta, which consists of three tanks and three supports. The strategy was labeled as boring by fans but was undeniably effective as it defined the early stages of the second season and remains potent today.

When is the 2-2-2 lock coming to Overwatch?

Kaplan insisted that the change was made to allow players to enjoy more freedom in who they played and cited that the meta has been naturally shifting away from GOATS throughout the season.

Though the changes are currently live on PTR, there will be a beta test season on live servers starting on August 16. This will last approximately two weeks, allowing players to test the new features and give developers time to make any adjustments. The first competitive season with the new features will start on September 1.