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Teams are abandoning 'Overwatch' before its official league debuts (updated)
Yesterday, Blizzard announced that it had formed a dedicated eSports division within the company. It will operate under the name Major League Gaming, the organization bought by the studio in 2015, and run the official Overwatch League (OWL) and World Cup. But several major eSports teams have started abandoning the game ahead of the competitive league's launch. Some of which did, reportedly, because it costs $20 million to franchise an official team.
Overwatch League is Blizzard's eSports incubator
Blizzard has its own official eSports league for Overwatch, aptly dubbed Overwatch League. It works a lot like traditional sports. Major cities in North and South America, Europe, China, Korea and the South Pacific will have a team. Those teams are comprised of the best players coming out of a sort of open competition called a "combine." From there, they'll be drafted and sign contracts with a guaranteed salary and benefits. The team spots will be secured, according to developer/publisher Blizzard, as a way to foster local fans and talent "for years to come." And at season's end, the best teams will play against each other live, in front of a global audience. Sound familiar?
