The Overwatch League Has Ended — What's Next?
After Toronto Defiant’s parent company, OverActive Media, announced that they were exiting the OWL and getting a $6 million termination fee, it was confirmed that the teams have come to an agreement about the Overwatch League behind the scenes. At this point, the Overwatch League has just had the sixth and final season.
Now, the news has been confirmed.
The passion at #OWWC2023 stays undefeated 💪 pic.twitter.com/bUjjJbljYt
— Overwatch Esports (@OW_Esports) November 6, 2023
Is the Overwatch League Ending?
In a statement to The Verge, Overwatch League’s PR manager John Nomis stated: “We are transitioning from the Overwatch League and evolving competitive Overwatch in a new direction.”
Nomis continued to state that the team has been grateful for everyone “who made OWL possible” and reiterated that the Overwatch esports scene is not being forgotten. But we still don’t know what will be in store for competitive Overwatch.
Said Nomis: “We are excited to share details with you all in the near future.”
This is sadly not shocking news for the esports industry, even fans of the OWL. The league was slowly dying before everyone’s eyes thanks to a lot of questionable decisions from Activision Blizzard. This included some troubles with the global health pandemic, finding sponsors, switching to YouTube for streaming, and some problems with China’s participation near the end.
Throughout it all, we saw layoffs from Blizzard’s esports side and witnessed teams like the Chengdu Hunters drop out. As it continued to spiral out of control, fans heard the news that the teams would be voting on what happens next with the Overwatch League due to broken financial promises.
Our season has ended and we have placed 4th in Grand Finals.
— Boston Uprising (@BostonUprising) October 1, 2023
To our fans, supporters, and the Overwatch community, thank you. Thank you for the memories that we will cherish forever. Until next time 💙 pic.twitter.com/RxmReIzfHc
For teams to participate in the OWL, they had to pay between $20 million to $30 million. The teams were told they’d make the money back through sales, sponsorships, and other avenues. Unfortunately, this never happened due to low viewership and Blizzard’s ongoing internal issues.
While the Overwatch League is no more, the teams have continued to reiterate that this isn’t forever. Even OverActive Media stated that Toronto Defiant was not being let go and they were focused on a “return to Overwatch esports.” For now, the teams and their fans are anxiously awaiting what comes next.
Olivia is a long-time esports journalist and editor who covers just about every game but has a deep love for the FGC. Her goal is to find community-driven stories that bring a new perspective to the esports scene. In the past, she has worked for Team Liquid, Rogue, Inven Global, Dot Esports, Upcomer, and more. Outside of esports, Olivia enjoys Kirby, Pokemon TCG, Fallout, and writing science fiction. She can be found trying out new foods, traveling, or hanging out with her two orange cats. Fun fact: Olivia can do some video game and cartoon impressions!