Formats / Before you queue
A queue is more than a different button in the menu. Team composition, hero choices and round structure change the decisions you should prepare for.
Role queue
Role queue gives each teammate a defined role. Use it to practise how tank, damage and support fit around the same objective. Check the in-game queue description for the current team rules.
Try a hero whose basic job you already understand. Focus on the same few decisions across several fights.
Stadium
Stadium adds its own powers and item choices across rounds. Your build and the other team’s choices can change what an encounter asks of you. Treat it as a separate ruleset.
Read the items before a round and change one part of the build for a reason you can explain.
Arcade and events
Arcade and seasonal modes can change hero selection, abilities or round structure. Their availability moves with the live schedule, so the current in-game mode card is the useful reference.
Choose a mode because you like its rules. Do not expect habits from another queue to transfer unchanged.
| Format | Check first | A useful focus |
|---|---|---|
| Role queue | Your role and the objective | Cover, sightlines and regrouping |
| Stadium | Mode-specific powers and items | A build that answers the current round |
| Arcade / events | Availability and special rules | Learning the loop without assuming standard rules |
Season context / checked 27 October 2026
Blizzard’s Season 5 announcement introduces Doctrine and changes Sombra’s role. That is a reminder to check the live hero description before relying on an older guide. Temporary modes should be checked in the current game menu.
Read Blizzard’s Season 5 announcement