Overwatch is set to get a new “priority pass” system at some point in the future, game director Jeff Kaplan revealed in a recent Developer Update video. The feature aims to cut down on lengthy queue times, which have especially affected specific role queues. There is no specific date set for the priority pass feature’s addition.
The addition of priority passes and the "flex queue" option will hopefully cut down on queue times at higher competitive levels. Players queueing in the "affected roles," which Kaplan specifies as damage roles, are often met with extremely long wait times for matches.
The update will add the “flex queue,” which Kaplan explains will allow players to queue for all roles as opposed to just one. Players in the flex queue will be put in the “most needed” roles, between support, tank, and damage, in order to speed up wait times. Priority passes are earned by joining the flex queue and winning those games.
Players who have earned priority passes will then be granted faster queue times in the role of their choice in regular queue. Players will be able to earn and keep up to 40 priority passes. This feature will be added at some point in the future, though Kaplan did not give an expected release date. It will likely be tested in Public Test Region (PTR) mode before launching on the game’s live servers.
In the Developer Update video, Kaplan also addresses the newest Symmetra short story and in-game challenges, along with the additional changes coming to Overwatch's replay feature.
A new short story, titled "Stone by Stone," released this week, bringing with it a bunch of themed in-game challenges. The story focuses on Symmetra, with Symmetra's Restoration Challenge running from now until November 30th. Players will be able to earn an Epic skin by completing the challenges.
Overwatch's Replay Viewer will also be getting some updates, which will mainly be useful for professional observers and other content creators. Kaplan doesn't go into much detail with the individual changes, but says they will "put a lot of power and functionality in your hands" when it comes to watching replays and creating content around replays.
Source: Overwatch