With the Overwatch League, Blizzard aims to solidify its position in eSports. The event is unique and large enough to quickly lose track of things. We have summarized the most important points for you.
It was already discussed before its release that the hero shooter Overwatch is meant to establish itself in the competitive scene. It was evident from the very beginning that Blizzard’s plan was to make a name for itself in eSports with Overwatch.
Only half a year after the release of Overwatch, at Blizzcon 2016, the big announcement was made: The Overwatch League will come. An event that aims to elevate not only Overwatch but eSports to a new level.
What is the Overwatch League?
The Overwatch League is an eSports event of the Major League, organized and planned by Blizzard. The corporation has built a stadium in Los Angeles, the “Blizzard Arena”, where all matches should take place this year.
The League is significantly different from traditional tournaments. The teams participating here are not well-known pro teams whose names have been circulating in the eSports scene for a long time. Teams could not simply register freely.
Instead, sponsors registered their teams for the Overwatch League in advance. They represent a specific city, not just a team name. Most of the cities come from the USA, but China and the UK are also represented.
The management and organization of the teams differ from traditional tournaments. Owners or their managers buy players they want in their team, similar to football. Alongside well-known figures like Seagull or sinatraa, lesser-known but strong players who have been signed also get their chance.
London Team for US Company with Players from South Korea
This system structure allows for some strange circumstances. The team “London Spitfire” is under the flag of the California eSports company Cloud9, plays for London, and consists exclusively of South Korean players.
For the future, the principle of cities competing for the title is intended to prevail. Like in the Bundesliga, matches with home and away teams are also planned.
Structure and Flow of the Overwatch League – the Schedule
To make the Overwatch League a promising spectacle, starting from January 11, 2018, three games per day will take place in the Blizzard Arena every Wednesday to Saturday. The first season will run until June 17.
You can find the complete schedule of all games on the official League website.
The start of the Overwatch League is tonight
The League is divided into four stages, each lasting 6 weeks:
- Stage 1: January 11 to February 11, 2018
- Stage 2: February 22 to March 25, 2018
- Stage 3: April 5 to May 6, 2018
- Stage 4: May 17 to June 17, 2018
The teams play in two groups: the Atlantic Division and the Pacific Division. They do not play independently of each other, but they have significant importance for the League’s finals.
At the end of each stage, there is a final match where a prize pool can already be won. In the stages, teams also collect points, which determine their placement in a table at the end of the season.
The table standings are crucial for the post-season, which will be the actual highlight of the Overwatch League. The top teams from each division will compete here from July 11 to 22 for the title from July 26 to 28.
Even after that, Blizzard ensures further entertainment. During the All-Star Weekend from August 10-12, 2018, the most popular players will compete against each other in “unexpected challenges”. What exactly that means will still be revealed.
What is being played? Prize Money and Contracts
Primarily, every player is entitled to a contract that promises at least $50,000. Additionally, health insurance, retirement plans, accommodation, and training facilities are provided. The contract also lasts for at least one year. For the fame, recognition, and status as a “pro gamer”, it is worthwhile for players to participate.
But also the prize money with a pool of $3.5 million is likely a significant incentive to give their best. The money is distributed as follows:
- Tournament winner / Champion of the Overwatch League: $1,000,000
- Second place: $400,000
- Third and fourth place: $100,000
- Fifth and sixth place: $50,000
- Team with the most leaderboard points: $300,000
- Stage winners: $100,000
The remaining prize money is divided among other places and comes in addition to the contract for each player.
The prize money is primarily generated through entry tickets, franchises, and skins in the game. Blizzard also looks to “real” sporting events for inspiration and utilizes the support of fans.
The Teams of the First Season of the Overwatch League
In the first season of the Overwatch League, a total of 12 teams from North America, Europe, and Asia will compete against each other. 9 teams come from the USA, making up the largest share, even though most players are from South Korea.
Atlantic Division
Boston Uprising
- Owner: Robert Kraft (USA, owner of the football team “New England Patriots” and CEO of Kraft Group)
- First match: January 12, 3:00 AM against New York Excelsior
- Special features: The team has many newcomers and support players.
- Logo and roster:
Florida Mayhem
- Owner: Misfits Gaming (UK)
- First match: January 11, 11:00 PM against London Spitfire
- Special features: Florida’s team is led by British management and has mostly Swedish players.
- Logo and roster:
Houston Outlaws
- Owner: OpTic Gaming (USA)
- First match: January 12, 1:00 AM against Philadelphia Fusion
- Special features: A mostly American team, with few exceptions, that struggled in the preliminary rounds. Three of the players played in the American national team in the 2017 World Cup.
- Logo and roster:
London Spitfire
- Owner: Cloud9 (USA)
- First match: January 11, 11:00 PM against Florida Mayhem
- Special features: A British team under American leadership with an entirely South Korean roster.
- Logo and roster:
New York Excelsior
- Owner: Jeff Wilpon and SterlingVC (USA, owner of the baseball team New York Mets)
- First match: January 12, 3:00 AM against Boston Uprising
- Special features: Consists only of South Korean players, many of whom played previously for LW Blue. One of the players will not be old enough to play until May.
- Logo and roster:
Philadelphia Fusion
- Owner: Comcast Spectacor (USA, also owner of the NHL team Philadelphia Flyers)
- First match: January 12, 1:00 AM against Houston Outlaws
- Special features: Had to forgo the pre-season, presumably due to visa issues.
- Logo and roster:
Pacific Division
Dallas Fuel
- Owner: Team Envy (USA)
- First match: January 11, 5:00 AM against Seoul Dynasty
- Special features: The name “Fuel” comes from investments from the oil and energy sectors. The team has many well-known streamers and pro gamers in its roster.
- Logo and roster:
Los Angeles Gladiators
- Owner: Stan and Josh Kroenke (USA, owners of various sports teams)
- First match: January 11, 3:00 AM against Shanghai Dragons
- Special features: The team has alongside well-known names also a League of Legends pro in its roster. It is one of two teams from LA.
- Logo and roster:
Los Angeles Valiant
- Owner: Immortals (USA)
- First match: January 11, 1:00 AM against San Francisco Shock
- Special features: The CEO of Immortals is only 22 years old. The band Linkin Park is an indirect co-owner of the organization.
- Logo and roster:
San Francisco Shock
- Owner: Andy Miller (USA, Chairman of NRG esports)
- First match: January 11, 1:00 AM against Los Angeles Valiant
- Special features: Pro gamer sinatraa plays in the team and negotiated three times the standard contract, even though he can only play from March. He is still 17.
- Logo and roster:
Seoul Dynasty
- Owner: Kevin Chou from KSV eSports (South Korea)
- First match: January 11, 5:00 AM against Dallas Fuel
- Special features: Consists of players from the pro team Lunatic-Hai, considered the best in the world. Three of the players won the World Cup last year with this team.
- Logo and roster:
Shanghai Dragons
- Owner: NetEase (China)
- First match: January 11, 3:00 AM against Los Angeles Gladiators
- Special features: The only Chinese team with promising players who were partly in the top 8 of the World Cup last year. However, the Dragons struggled during the pre-season.
- Logo and roster:
The Overwatch League on Twitch
Twitch has the broadcasting rights for the Overwatch League – but only in English, French, and Korean. Allegedly, the deal is worth $90 million. On the Twitch channel www.twitch.tv/overwatchleague, you can watch all the matches. The broadcast will initially not be offered in German.
In addition to the official stream on Twitch, you can also use the following services:
- the official Overwatch League website
- MLG.com
- The Overwatch League App
The Overwatch League App
In addition to the Overwatch League, Blizzard has recently released an app in the App Store and Play Store. The app “OW League” offers you the opportunity to follow all current information and ongoing matches on the go.
With the app, you can quickly get an overview of the schedule, results, upcoming matches, and push notifications for news. If you log in with your Battle.net account, you can follow your favorite team(s) and be reminded of each upcoming match in time.
The Overwatch League Skins and League Tokens
Lastly, the Overwatch League brings joy not only to viewers of eSports and Overwatch. In addition to the streams and merchandise in the shop, such as shirts or caps, you can also now buy skins in Overwatch for every hero.
The skins are designed in the colors of the teams. Each team has a skin for every hero. So you can show your allegiance by playing your favorite heroes in each match!
The skins cannot be included in loot boxes. You have to buy what are called “League Tokens”, with which you can directly unlock the skins. One hero costs 100 tokens, and 100 tokens are $4.99. Anyone who logs in by February 13 will receive 100 tokens for free – grab your free skin!
