Blizzard just made Overwatch’s best mode much worse

Source: Engadget

Background

While I dabble in other Overwatch modes, I spend the vast majority of my time in Mystery Heroes, a casual mode where you load in as a random character and automatically switch to another one when you respawn. It’s my favorite way to play Overwatch because it helps me switch off and relax, and many players use it as a warm‑up for competitive action. The mode requires a working knowledge of all 51 heroes to coordinate with teammates and anticipate what opponents might pick.

Changes to Mystery Heroes

Removal of Perks

Previously, players entered a round with random perks already equipped. Perks—added to Overwatch a little over a year ago—provide upgrades or new abilities and add a chaotic, fun element to the mode.

Blizzard says the change was made “to help keep the mode’s casual pace intact while mitigating some of the more extreme pain points it’s had in the past.” By removing perks, players no longer need to check which perks they have when racing back into action. However, this also diminishes the mode compared with others, especially since some heroes now rely heavily on their perks.

Switch from 5v5 to 6v6

The other major change is the shift from teams of five players to 6v6. In standard 6v6 formats you typically see two tanks, two supports, and two damage heroes. In Mystery Heroes, the composition can become unbalanced—for example, a defense team might load with four tanks and two supports (teams are limited to three heroes from any class after respawns).

While tanks have lower health pools in 6v6, such a composition can be oppressive for attackers, who may lack the agency to switch to characters that can counter it. This can lead to rounds where attackers struggle to break through, and solo supports are forced to keep five other players alive, reducing the fun factor.

Community Reaction

Players have voiced disappointment across Reddit and the Overwatch forums. The loss of perks has been the most widely lamented change, while opinions on the 6v6 switch are more mixed.

Overall Thoughts

I’m not averse to change—Blizzard has delivered many improvements over the years, including the big Stadium mode in 2025, a successful soft relaunch, new hero updates, the return of post‑match awards, and the addition of the damage hero Sierra.

However, the recent Mystery Heroes updates feel like a step in the wrong direction. I hope Blizzard reconsiders these changes soon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at .