Blizzard has released a new Developer Update for Overwatch. In it, game director Jeff Kaplan revealed the return of competitive Open Queue. The update also includes information on a new experimental card and other changes. Here’s what you need to know.
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What is Open Queue?
Before the age of Role Queue and Hero Bans, players could pick whichever Hero they wanted in competitive Overwatch (assuming it wasn’t a duplicate). This is essentially what Open Queue is. You don’t have to choose a role, and you can play any Hero. This mode saw some success (especially in Korea) while it was in the arcade, so Blizzard is bringing it back as a permanent queue.
Kaplan states that competitive Open Queue will return to the arcade in June, and then it will be a permanent competitive queue come Season 23 in early July. The Overwatch team hopes that having a second competitive queue will help drop queue times and give players options. Kaplan states that having two different competitive queues has actually shown positive results for dropping queue times.
The return of the Experimental Card
The Developer Update also discusses a new and upcoming Experimental Card. Bastion will get significant changes, along with several support Heroes. Ana and Moira will both receive various changes, and Kaplan also mentions Zenyatta and Junkrat. Expect to see the experimental queue patch notes today or tomorrow.
Remember, the Experimental Card changes are not guaranteed or permanent. Changes in this mode are experimental, as the name suggests, and are subject to further change if they don’t end up working out. Be sure to play the mode and give feedback!
Hopefully, the return of Open Queue and more aggressive balance changes will bring a much-needed change of pace to Overwatch. The game has faced a lot of criticism recently and seen a few of its best players retire. For fans of the game, these changes should spark at least a little hope.
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