Video game publisher Blizzard has announced a multi-year agreement with ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) to facilitate its new esports ecosystem for Overwatch 2. Now called the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS), the new system will be an open and inclusive competitive circuit featuring “…an enhanced program with live events at DreamHack Dallas 2024 and DreamHack Stockholm 2024.” EFG will operate the OWCS in both North America and EMEA, while South Korean esports tournament operator We Design Game (WDG) will handle duties in Asia. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
The OWCS is the next iteration of esports for Overwatch and Overwatch 2. The Overwatch League (OWL) that started the title’s esports scene was scrapped in 2023 after six seasons and Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard . This new system starkly contrasts with the original OWL which sought to emulate traditional sports leagues, with city-based teams and markets with a goal of creating geographical-based fandom. That strategy caught the attention of sports team owners and investors including Robert Kraft, Stan Kroenke and Jeff Wilpon, who all had teams in the league’s inaugural 2018 season.
