The Future of Overwatch Esports

Overwatch is a competitive game at its core. It's fast, dynamic, and at its best when two closely matched teams are battling it out for victory.

Our goal as a development team is to ensure that all of our players have the opportunity to experience the thrill of competition - From the highs and lows of organized group play to the excitement of watching the world's best players competing at live events. Esports competitions are vital to any thriving competitive game, and Overwatch 2 is no different. Today, we’re excited to talk about what is next for Overwatch Esports.

Our philosophy moving into our next chapter of Overwatch Esports is simple: offer and cultivate an esports ecosystem that is more open - with anyone able to participate - always-on, regionally focused, providing experiences for participants and fans alike. Overwatch 2 is a game for everyone, and we want to ensure that anyone who has the skills is able to showcase them.

With that said, we are excited to introduce our new Overwatch Esports programs.

Our esports efforts in 2024 will be multifaceted and the first program that we’re excited to introduce to you all is the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS). The OWCS is our new premiere international competitive circuit open to players across North America (NA), Europe, Middle East, and North Africa (EMEA), and Asia.

The 2024 season will feature multiple competitive stages where each region will have its own set of Open Qualifiers, giving players the ability to form their own teams and battle it out for their place in the Main Event. The stages will culminate in two live, in-person international events, bringing the regions together for the pinnacle of Overwatch play on the largest stage ever for Overwatch Esports..

Let's dive into how each region will function across the OWCS.

In NA and EMEA, teams will participate in four competitive stages throughout the year alongside our two international OWCS events. Each stage will feature an online Open Qualifier and Main