The Overwatch League has lost some of its key commentators. A spokesperson for Blizzard now praises the replacements highly. This does not sit well with the former casters. Blizzard has no integrity and is underpaying the new casters while luring them with visas.
Update February 11: Jon Spector has spoken again. He has apologized to the former casters in a statement.
This is the situation in the Overwatch League: Before the Season 3, some of the most prominent casters left the league. These were people who had been there from the beginning. They commented on and analyzed the Overwatch League:
- Auguste “Semmler” Massonnat (31)
- Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles (33)
- Erik “DoA” Lonnquist (36)
One of the casters who left, Mailk Forté, complained to Kotaku that Blizzard offered him a salary that was too low. He expected a bit more for 2020 than what was offered. (via kotaku)
Blizzard has now signed a number of new casters for the Overwatch League, including former Overwatch professionals.
Blizzard praises new casters “live and breathe Overwatch”
This is the trouble: In an interview with ESPN, the vice president of the Overwatch League, Jon Spector, said they couldn’t be happier with the current casters. They feel very comfortable with the people they have gathered.
One comment stood out in particular: The new casters would live and breathe Overwatch.
This is the reaction: Semmler translates “people who live and breathe Overwatch” as “people who have specialized in our game, and whom we can underpay because we have a monopoly and/or they need us for visas.”
DoA complains that he has lived and breathed Overwatch from the beta until a month ago. He does not understand what such attacks on the casters who just left are supposed to mean. It hurts him.
His former partner MonteCristo emphasizes how much he has invested in Overwatch. He has lived and breathed Overwatch longer than any other caster. The Overwatch League would now cover up its poor management and bad decisions at the expense of the people who have done everything for the league.
It is incredibly painful and insulting that the former casters must serve as scapegoats for the mistakes of the Overwatch League.
There is no loyalty, recognition, or decency from Blizzard. Everyone should know who is considering working with the Overwatch League. This is how they treat you when you leave.
This is what’s behind it: There seems to be a dispute over the interpretation:
- The casters want it to be understood that they left because they did not like the new direction of the Overwatch League.
- Blizzard seems to present it in the interview that they consciously decided to bring in new voices into the league.
From what we know, financial issues played a significant role. Blizzard seems to not have afforded the experienced casters as much money and say as they had expected in the 3rd year of the league.
The Overwatch League was initially meant to be a massive growth project: investors put in double-digit millions to buy into the league.
But the cost-cutting measures at Activision Blizzard and some high-profile departures in Blizzard’s esports have likely led to a change in course. MonteCristo said he could not work with the new leadership of the league.
The 3rd season of the Overwatch League is considered crucial to whether the esports league can meet the high expectations. Recently, Blizzard concluded a deal with YouTube: The league will be broadcast exclusively there. The first matches started on February 8.
