The Revival of Overwatch Esports: The Overwatch Champions Series
3 min read
The Overwatch community was left in a state of shock when the Overwatch League (OWL) announced its end in November 2023. However, the news of the League’s demise did not signal the end of Overwatch esports. Instead, it marked the beginning of a new era with the announcement of the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS).
The OWCS is Blizzard Entertainment’s new international competitive circuit, open to players across North America (NA), Europe, Middle East, and North Africa (EMEA), and Asia. Unlike the franchise structure of the OWL, the OWCS follows an open format, allowing players to form their own teams and compete in open qualifiers.
The OWCS consists of regional tournaments, with the top teams from each region advancing to live events. The summer major tournament will be hosted by DreamHack Dallas, while the finals will take place in November at DreamHack Stockholm.
The format of the North American and EMEA tournaments in the Overwatch Championship Series is explained in detail in the official announcement. The Asia region, due to its size, is divided into three sub-regions: South Korea, Japan, and Pacific.
Interestingly, the Pacific region, which previously included Australia and New Zealand, is no longer part of the OWCS Pacific region. In an email to The Verge, Overwatch communications lead Kevin Scarpati stated, “We’re working with [FACEIT] to add consistent Overwatch tournaments to other regions where OWCS is not operating.” South America, despite not having its own region, will be able to compete as part of the North American region.
China, too, has been left out of the Asia region, likely due to Activision Blizzard’s ongoing struggle to find a publishing partner in the country after severing ties with NetEase. Some Blizzard games, including Overwatch, have not been officially playable in China for over a year now.
Activision Blizzard, which previously ran the Overwatch League in-house, has partnered with ESL FACEIT group, an esports tournament organizer based in London and owned by Savvy Games Group, the gaming-focused portion of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, to run the OWCS. Last year, veteran esports journalist Jacob Wolf reported that Activision Blizzard was working with the Saudi-owned company to run Overwatch esports after the dissolution of the League.
The location for fans to watch the OWCS has yet to be announced, with Blizzard stating that this information will be shared at a later date. Open qualifiers in the Asia region begin in February, while the North American and EMEA regions start competition in March.
The Overwatch Champions Series represents a new chapter in the history of Overwatch esports. With its open format and international reach, it offers an exciting opportunity for players and fans alike. As the community eagerly awaits more details about the OWCS, one thing is certain: Overwatch esports is far from dead.
In conclusion, the Overwatch Champions Series marks the revival of Overwatch esports after the dissolution of the Overwatch League. With its open format and international reach, it offers an exciting opportunity for players and fans alike. The OWCS is produced by Savvy Games Group-owned Faceit and is open to players across North America, Europe, Middle East, and North Africa, and Asia. The series consists of open qualifiers, regional tournaments, and live events, with the summer major tournament hosted by DreamHack Dallas and the finals in November hosted by DreamHack Stockholm. The Pacific region, which previously included Australia and New Zealand, is no longer part of the OWCS Pacific region, and China, due to Activision Blizzard’s ongoing struggle to find a publishing partner in the country, has been left out of the Asia region. The location for fans to watch the OWCS has yet to be announced, with competition starting in February for the Asia region and March for the North American and EMEA regions.
