- Open qualifications and tournament format replaces franchise model in Overwatch
- Last year’s discontinuation of OWL followed the shortfall in revenue targets and a decrease in viewership
- Dallas and Stockholm’s EFG DreamHack festivals to host major tournaments
Blizzard Entertainment, a video game developer, has unveiled the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) to take the place of the disbanded Overwatch League (OWL) as the new esports competition.
An agreement spanning multiple years was signed between Blizzard and the international esports tournament organizer ESL FaceIt Group (EFG), a subsidiary of the Saudi-owned Savvy Games Group (SGG), for the management of the OWCS.
Players from across North America, Europe, Middle East, North Africa (EMEA), and Asia are welcomed into the OWCS’ international competitive environment. EFG will be responsible for managing the competition in North America and EMEA region, while WDG, a Korean esports tournament operator, will manage the Asia-based OWCS circuit.
There will be an established itinerary for open qualifying and tournaments in each region. OWCS, in contrast to the franchise-based OWL, ensures a ‘freer’ esports ecosystem where every player can form their own team and vie for a spot at the live events of the competition.
EFG is set to host two major OWCS tournaments later this year at its DreamHack festivals in Dallas and Stockholm. With the participation of top esports teams globally, the Stockholm tournament will be the first tier one live Overwatch competition in Europe in over five years. In November, eight teams will compete for the debut OWCS championship title at the DreamHack festival in Sweden.
All Overwatch 2 players will have access to an open infrastructure provided by the FaceIt gaming platform. Users will be able to utilize its community features to find other players and to join events of all sizes.
FaceIt will also provide a raft of events and content for hopeful OWCS players to improve their abilities. Moreover, it will assist tournament organizers aiming to create their own competitions and experiences.
Jared Neuss, executive producer of Overwatch 2, expressed his excitement by stating that a robust esports scene is crucial for a game as competitive as Overwatch 2 and they are eager to begin this new chapter for the franchise alongside EFG.
ESL FaceIt Group’s co-chief executive Craig Levine discussed the introduction of OWCS as a new phase in Overwatch esports that respects the heritage and enthusiasm created by Overwatch esports.
Levine added, “EFG, in collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment, is well equipped to provide a truly international experience on the FaceIt platform as well as at DreamHack festivals.”