After months of anticipation, season one of Overwatch League is finally here. Blizzard Entertainment released Overwatch in May of 2016, and it’s been a bit of a cultural phenomenon ever since.
At its most basic description, Overwatch is a first-person team combat game that features two teams of six squaring off in a plethora of different modes where a winning team is ultimately crowned, and the effective simplicity of Overwatch to anyone familiar with video games has resulted in one of the biggest (and fastest-growing) eSports fanbases we’ve ever seen.
What separates Overwatch League from other eSports you may or may not have watched in the past is how Blizzard Entertainment structured the league. Overwatch League operates like a professional sports league in a way that is unlike anything else in eSports, making it inherently easier to follow if you’re new to the concept of professional gaming.
Overwatch League features 12 teams that all play a 40-match season. In the postseason, the top team in each division will receive a first-round playoff bye, and the remaining top four teams across both divisions will play each other before facing off in the semi-finals and finals. The entire prize pool across all stages is a staggering $3.5 million, with the winning team taking home $1 million of the total prize pool.
Blizzard entertainment has made the league incredibly easy to follow, with all games being freely available across a variety of platforms including Twitch, MLG.com, OverwatchLeague.com, and the official Overwatch League app that is available now for iOS and Android. Overwatch League streams live with fresh matches every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday throughout the season.
We sent our very own Kevin Pence to opening day of the inaugural Overwatch League season, so you can watch the above video to take in the sights and sounds of the biggest spectacle in eSports today.