Overwatch, a young eSports discipline, is gaining momentum

Overwatch has become a great replacement for the Team Fortress series of games. It quickly gained popularity and in the first year of its launch, a World Championship was held, attracting the attention of many players. So, what is the secret of Overwatch’s popularity and how is it different from the rest of cyber sports?

Cybersport or real sport?

Of course, Overwatch doesn’t have the same rich history as Dota 2 or Counter-Strike. However, in this case, the popularity of the game is due to its creators. The Blizzard company didn’t wait until the shooter attracts the attention of gamers and decided to launch Overwatch League at once.

The distinctive feature of this tournament was the fact that it works on the principle of franchise, as it is accepted in traditional sports United States. As a result, no “random” nicknames can be found in the championship. Investors here first acquire a slot and then start to develop their franchises. That’s why teams have their names clearly linked to specific cities. This allows for faster formation of fan communities that start supporting the team based on its tie-in to the city.

Overwatch League slots themselves are very expensive. There are reports that in the league’s second season, one slot cost around $60 million. Teams were able to make money on merchandise trade and on prize money for wins and ticket sales. One of the conditions for acquiring a slot was that the owner must create an arena for League games.

Blizzard was well aware that at the initial stage the eSports companies wouldn’t have enough money to support and develop the Overwatch League. Therefore it was decided to attract investors from traditional sports. As a result, people directly related to NFL and MLB teams turned out to be among the slot owners.

As a result, 12 teams participated in the first season (or 12 purchased slots), and in the second season there were already 20. This was excellent proof that the franchise model was a success. In addition, the players could feel confident. After all, under the terms of the contract, they received a salary of at least $50,000, a place to live and train, and much more. Also, gamers received some financial guarantees, as the contract stipulates that the team owners have to give not less than half of the won amount to the team members.

And these are the minimum terms of the contracts. In reality, many franchise owners offer better terms and negotiate with players to attract the best cyber players.

Tournament for spectators

The excellent financial component has made the tournament a real sports show. There are spectators, commentators who interview players and much more. Even the picture quality is pleasing to the eye.

The tournament lasts for half a year and never gets bored. But it’s worth remembering that it will only attract those who are personally familiar with the game Overwatch. Those who don’t know the characters and aren’t familiar with the main gameplay points may find the competition incomprehensible. Although Blizzard tries to make the broadcasts interesting for casual viewers, it’s still worth getting to know the game itself to enjoy it.

And the games themselves in the Overwatch League can really surprise. After all, the tournament brings together the best gamers who know all the secrets and peculiarities of the shooter. But individual actions pale on the background of the team interaction. Five-man coordination skills are put to such a high level here that sometimes the matches simply mesmerize, and do not allow you to distract yourself from them for a minute.

All this made the young cyber-discipline Overwatch really popular and attractive for the spectators and professional players. You can watch the upcoming matches on Twitch. And all the information about the teams, results and rankings is available on the official Overwatch League website.