Blizzard Shares New Ecosystem for Overwatch Esports Ahead of 2024 Season

Blizzard has officially shared a new ecosystem for the Overwatch esports right ahead of the 2024 season. The new ecosystem will introduce various exciting updates to Blizzard's hero-shooter while promoting the esports culture to every player. According to the official Blizzard blog, the next chapter in Overwatch esports focuses on offering and cultivating a more open esports ecosystem.

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It also stated that the new ecosystem will be regionally focused and provide valuable experiences to participants and fans. As Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play title for everyone, the change will ensure anyone with skill can showcase their prowess to the world.

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Also read: Florida Mayhem Crowned Champions Of Overwatch League 2023

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The New Overwatch Esports Ecosystem Explained

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The new Overwatch Esports ecosystem will introduce the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) this year, which will be multifaceted and the first program of the ecosystem. The OWCS is a new premiere system in Blizzard's shooter, which will be a part of the international competitive circuit open to players of North America (NA), Europe, the Middle East, North Africa (EMEA), and Asia.

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In the 2024 season for Overwatch esports, the OWCS will feature multiple competitive stages for each region, and they can participate in the set of Open Qualifiers. This will give players the ability to form their own team and battle it out for their place in the main event, says Blizzard.

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The system is similar to Valorant's recently introduced Premiere mode, where one can make their way to Ascensions league with a team.

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The stages will further progress to two live, in-person international events that will bring all the regions together for a grand finale of Overwatch play on one of the largest stages for the title's esports.

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NA and EMEA Format in OWCS with FACEIT Infrastructure

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NA and EMEA teams must participate in four competitive stages throughout the year alongside two international OWCS events. Every stage in the format will host an online Open Qualifier and Main Event for gamers who can earn circuit points. These points will determine their international qualification. One can earn circuit points through top finishes in each stage. Enough points will grant one a higher standing in the leaderboards and seeds for each event.

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According to the official announcement from Blizzard, OWCS stages in NA and EMEA will feature three tournament phases - Swiss, Groups, and the Main Event. The Swiss phase, alongside Groups, will be in the Open Qualifier where teams can compete for the Main Event.

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The Swiss phase will incorporate a maximum of 512 teams to qualify 16 teams into Groups. 16 Teams will compete in groups of 4 and the top 2 teams from each group will progress to the Main Event. Once there, teams will face an 8-team double-elimination regional tournament. OWCS in NA and EMEA is partnering with FACEIT, with Blizzard expecting it to boost the ability to foster great experiences for the esports community.

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Asia's Format in OWCS with WARA.GG's Involvement

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Asia will have a different routine compared to the NA and EMEA outlook, as Blizzard has stated that it has cultivated a program that suits best the region's needs. Asia will host three regional subdivisions: South Korea, Japan, and the Pacific. Each subdivision will host various tournaments with customized formats to serve the locals.

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Under Asia, each team will participate in two competitive stages throughout the year, as each stage ends with an international OWCS event. The competitive stage will be operated by WDG, as each subdivision features its own respective Open Qualifiers leading into Regional Tournaments.

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The Regional Tournaments will determine the best teams from each of the subdivisions and pick who can advance to the two OWCS Asia Championship tournaments for the year. WARA.GG will be the exclusive registration platform for each subregion's Open Qualifiers and the primary source for match-related information. The platform will also deliver match updates, schedules, and any other inquiries from fans.

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​DreamHack Live Events and More

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Overwatch is also partnering with DreamHack as their festivals have been renowned in the esports world, including for more FPS titles like CS:GO and Rainbow Six Siege. More Overwatch Esports moments will be coming to the DreamHack stage as OWCS will host two live international tournaments at DreamHack this year. The two festivals are set in Summer and fall for Season Finals.

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