What Is The Overwatch League? Here's Everything You Need To Know To Enjoy Season 1
Let the games begin.
The regular season of the inaugural year of the Overwatch League is officially underway this week. As the premiere esports circuit for the game, it's a massive undertaking by Blizzard, an entire year in the making. It'll feature over 100 players from around the world, with 12 areas playing host to them: Boston, Dallas, Florida, Houston, London, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, and two in Los Angeles. Whether you're an avid Overwatch fan or a curious onlooker who has never escorted a payload, our explainer provides essential facts, from how the season will flow to how you can watch the matches in person. We also have a guide on how to watch Overwatch League online.
How is the season structured? The regular season, which has now begun, consists of four stages. Each stage lasts five weeks, with the final one ending on June 16. Incidentally, this end date is the Saturday after the E3 Expo. The first part of the Overwatch League schedule kicked off on January 10.
What are the big prizes? The prize pool awarded at the end of each stage is $125,000. The Overwatch League champions will be awarded $1,000,000.
Where is the tournament held? Blizzard opened an arena in Burbank, where all the Overwatch League matches will be held. This state-of-the-art facility features multiple sound stages, control rooms, player lounges, and even a Blizzard merchandise store. The arena already played host to the Overwatch Contenders matches and the Hearthstone Championship Tour.
How can I get tickets? You can buy tickets here.
How much are the tickets?
$20 for the weekday (half day) events; begins at 4PM
$30 for the weekend (full day) events; begins at 11AM
The first day of regular season is sold out.
How can I track the season progress outside of overwatchleague.com? You track your favorite teams, keep up with league news, and set alerts using the Overwatch League app. You can even customize spoiler settings so you can watch completed matches without knowing the outcome in advance.
Are there new skins? Blizzard has released a new Overwatch update which, among other things, adds new skins. A lot of skins. There are 312 in all, with each character getting one for each of the League teams. You can see all of the new skins in our gallery, and you'll be able to snag one for free. You'll have to purchase others; you can read more about how you get the new skins here.
How many teams and divisions are there? There are 12 teams, split evenly into two divisions. They're made up predominantly of American teams, although the players come from all over the world. Mirroring the NFL, there are two Los Angeles teams, the Gladiators and Valiant. There also three international teams, the London Spitfire, the Seoul Dynasty, and the Shanghai Dragons.
Atlantic Division
- Boston Uprising
- Florida Mayhem
- Houston Outlaws
- London Spitfire
- New York Excelsior
- Philadelphia Fusion
Pacific Division
- Dallas Fuel
- Los Angeles Gladiators
- Los Angeles Valiant
- San Francisco Shock
- Seoul Dynasty
- Shanghai Dragons
Check out our gallery where you can learn about the teams' backgrounds, ownership info, and other fun facts.
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