Blizzard announced that the Overwatch League (OWL) will be officially ending, with the company focusing on “a new direction.” As of now, it remains unclear what will become of the competitive scene going forward.
The Overwatch League was hosted for six years, but while it is coming to a close, a spokesperson from Activision Blizzard told IGN that the company is “evolving competitive Overwatch in a new direction…We are grateful to everyone who made OWL possible and remain focused on building our vision of a revitalized esports program. We are excited to share details with you all in the near future.”
This announcement falls in line with Blizzard’s statements in a company financial report earlier this year. The report itself said that teams were allowed to continue working in the league “under an updated operating agreement”. What’s more, those who refused to sign would be provided a $6 million payout.
In addition, the IGN report noted that the professional scene for Overwatch will be kept alive. Sean Miller, commissioner of the OWL, said that Blizzard is “committed to a competitive ecosystem in 2024 and beyond.” Still no word on exactly what that will be.
The OWL has been a cornerstone of the community and the primary driving factor behind the team-based shooter’s success. BlizzCon 2023 hosted the Cup, letting players purchase skins based on their favorite teams to show support.
Overwatch 2 has faced numerous challenges in 2023, with an extremely rough launch on Steam and the announcement of scrapping Hero Mode, one of the most anticipated features.