The second phase of the Overwatch League is in full swing. In this eSports event, a lot of money and prestige are at stake. A good reason for the teams to specifically prepare for their next opponent. They are analyzing and stalking each other, exploiting every weakness.
The Overwatch League is the eSports event for Blizzard’s hero shooter Overwatch. Due to its huge success on Twitch and the growing appeal for sponsors, the league is continuously expanding.
The teams also seem to be slowly realizing the situation they are in. They no longer play in tournaments that are viewed by a small audience. In the league, it’s about the future, about money, and glory.
For over 20 weeks, the 12 teams are fighting for a spot in the finals, where there is a prize pool of one million dollars for the first place alone. This sum and the opportunities that the first place offers seem to be finally sinking in for all the players: The top teams of the Overwatch League mean business
The second phase reveals the true strengths of the teams
The teams have been playing together for a long time in some cases, while others have only recently come together for the Overwatch League. It took a while for the true strength of each team to become apparent.
Strengths and weaknesses must be explored, especially among the teams that still need to coordinate with each other. Some teams are unpredictable: for themselves and for others.
In the first phase of the league, many teams were still in the “self-discovery phase”. In the second phase, however, the rankings change dramatically. Teams that appeared weak are catching up. Favorites are steadily declining.
Opponents are countered strategically, the meta becomes irrelevant
In almost all teams, it shows: they are learning. More and more frequently, the often-known meta is being disregarded, more or less fixed compositions are being broken to make room for specific advantages.
The teams are not merely experimenting with this; they are specifically adjusting to their opponents.
They research their opponents, study them, and train not only for themselves but also to precisely defeat the next enemy. They exploit their opponents’ weaknesses or explore the strongest link of the opposing team to eliminate that one.
- For example, it often happens with Seoul Dynasty that their opponents focus only on their star player Fleta. He is then relentlessly pursued, knowing that the team is in trouble without him.
- It was particularly noticeable with New York Excelsior, who played Ana against Houston Outlaws – just to counter Muma and his strong Winston.
Why doesn’t this work in other tournaments?
The teams can prepare so intensely against each other because games take place over many weeks on four days of the week. Based on the replays, teams can be analyzed precisely, and their opponents can train specifically against their specialties.
In other previous tournaments, this did not work. There, opponents usually had only one opportunity to meet and only a few videos for preparation. Since the league takes place over such a long time, the development is significantly more intense.
Does this also work in the rankings?
However, for improving one’s standing in the rankings, this is unsuitable. The time and opportunity to observe one’s opponents are lacking. However, it can be applied on a smaller scale.
If you notice a player in the opposing team who plays particularly well or poorly, use this information. By targeting these players, the opposing structure can be disrupted.
This buys you valuable time until the opponent adjusts again. Although this requires a good eye and understanding of the game, it can lead you to victory.
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