It’s been six years since the first Overwatch teams stepped on stage for the OWL. But after years of uncertainty and instability, Blizzard has finally confirmed it will be heading in a new direction and closing this chapter of the league’s history.
An OWL spokesperson confirmed with GG Recon’s Sascha “Yiska” Heinisch today that Blizzard is transitioning away from the current iteration of the league and will be building a new model for the future of competitive Overwatch.
“We are transitioning from the Overwatch League and evolving competitive Overwatch in a new direction,” the OWL spokesperson said. “We are grateful to everyone who made OWL possible and remain focused on building our vision of a revitalized esports program. We are excited to share details with you all in the near future.”
This news comes right after one of the franchised teams, the Toronto Defiant, officially ended its connection with the league, representing the second organization to leave the OWL this year alongside the Chengdu Hunters in May.
The future of the OWL has been an unfortunate topic of discussion for fans over the last few years, but the real possibility of the league’s dissolution came to a head over the last few weeks when Blizzard sent out an “updated operating agreement” to all of the teams. Any teams that did not vote to continue will be paid a termination fee of $6 million, allowing them to bow out of the league and causing fans to prepare for the worst.
Looking ahead, fans should expect more teams to reveal their departure from the league soon, along with their plans within the esports scene. Enthusiasts should also be ready for more announcements on the future of competitive Overwatch over the next months as we enter the new year.
