Since the year Overwatch entered the scene of eSports disciplines, it has been expanding its popularity. Starting in 2016, there have been around 400 professional Overwatch tournaments, a lot of which boast multi-million-dollar prize pools. If you are still new to Overwatch tournaments, you will definitely know a lot more the moment you get to the last word. So, let’s make it happen!

An Unconventional Approach to Overwatch Tournaments

The right to organize Overwatch eSports tournaments solely belongs to Blizzard Entertainment, which is a game-developing company. Due to the structure of the Overwatch League established by Blizzard, every aspect of this eSports development and operation is determined by this company. The goal of the company was to show Overwatch as a traditional sports discipline instead of an average eSports title.

Blizzard Entertainment implemented permanent teams, which are organized in league placements. The team players get a salary and have guarantees of sharing the revenue and getting other bonuses unavailable for gamers involved in other disciplines like health insurance, retirement savings plans, and many more. Entering the league is impossible without going through all the lower-level tournaments Blizzard has created. So no random people there.

While such a control helped Overwatch enter the list of the world’s best eSports discipline in its early years. Lately, more and more people have started talking about the negative effects of Blizzard’s monopolization of game tournaments. Currently, no one is ready to make any prognoses regarding the future of Overwatch as there are no signs of Blizzard is going to change its approach.

Overwatch League Tournaments: Format and Prize

Overwatch League is a premier eSports league for professional teams. It follows the model of traditional sports leagues in North America. Unlike the majority of eSports disciplines where teams compete for promotion and relegation, in the Overwatch League, the teams play qualification games. Based on their results, the best teams will make it to the season’s playoffs.

While the league started with 12 teams only, their number has expanded to 20. They are split between two conferences based on their location. So there is an East conference with seven teams in it and a West conference with thirteen teams.

The League format comprises four tournament cycles:

• The Kickoff Clash;
• Midseason Madness;
• Summer Showdown;
• Countdown Cup.

The teams play six matches in each cycle to determine the seeding for the final tournaments. The Kickoff Clash and Summer Showdown are regional events, while Midseason Madness is a global event held. The same format works for the Countdown Cup with the difference that it is a play-in tournament for the postseason.

The total main Overwatch tournament prize pool reached whopping 4,210,000 US dollars in 2019.

Overwatch Contenders

Overwatch Contenders is a series of professional tournaments, which open the way for beginner professional players to the top league. Blizzard Entertainment views Overwatch Contenders as a training ground for gamers wishing to enter Overwatch League.

Contenders work around the globe and are divided into five regions. The tournament participants get the chance to polish their gaming skills, get recognition in the professional players’ scene, and fight for hundred thousand dollar prize pools.

Overwatch Open Division Tournaments

Open Division tournaments are considered the entry point to professional-grade Overwatch performance. These are open registration events. This means pre-formed teams of all skill levels get the chance to show off and make a step forward toward entering the main league.

In Open Division, teams with similar skills level compete to determine the best one. Those making it to the top of the tournament standing get the opportunity to compete with the bottom teams of the Overwatch Contenders tournaments. Such events got the name Trials. Teams taking the top places in Trials move on to the Overwatch Contenders competitions.

There is no specific prize pool in Open Division tournaments. The amount one can win varies from region to region. However, all the participants of Open Division competitions get a Path to Pro player icon in their Gambattles account.

Overwatch Collegiate: A New Twist on the Game’s Competitions

Overwatch Collegiate provides a unique experience in the world of eSports competitions. Events taking place within Overwatch Collegiate unite teams from across the North American continent willing to compete for the title of Overwatch Collegiate champion and $50,000 prize pool.

The main season of the championship consists of three phases:

• Qualification games in the regional Swiss round with hundreds of teams participating;
• Group stage event with 64 teams participating in double-elimination bracket playoff;
• Double-elimination playoff competition among the 16 best teams for the title of the Overwatch Collegiate national champion.

Watch Overwatch eSports Tournaments and Get a Unique Experience!

If trusting the statistic, Overwatch takes the 18th place based on its all-time peak viewership. Every year Overwatch League tournaments attract more and more viewers. You can enjoy the most exciting and spectacular events of the Overwatch tournament season by watching live broadcasts on Twitch, YouTube, and the official website of the Overwatch League. All the major events of the year are streamed in several languages, including English, French, Korean, and Chinese.

Overwatch tournaments break the patterns we all know about other eSports disciplines showing a completely different model. Nevertheless, this doesn’t change the fact that every game is like a shot of adrenaline for every Overwatch fan. So, if you don’t want to miss the next Overwatch tournament, check through the tournament schedule on our website. You can also find the result of the recent games and prize pools here.