Microsoft may suffer losses of $120 million due to the closure of the Overwatch League.
- The Overwatch League has been in decline for some time now. It is expected that Activision Blizzard will partner with ESL FACEIT Group for the Overwatch league for the 2024 season.
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The situation for the Overwatch League was likely set for some time, as it struggled to maintain its initial success and momentum following the shifts away from esports and the arrival of the COVID-19 in 2020. These disruptions led to the cancellation or rescheduling of matches held at various locations across the United States that fans could attend, and the enthusiastic response to the league waned over time.
Earlier this year, most of the Overwatch League teams hired British law firm Sheridans to represent them and broker a settlement with Activision Blizzard. After negotiations, the publisher made its offer, offering $6 million to each organization, in July.
As for the future of Overwatch esports, Activision Blizzard is expected to partner with ESL FACEIT Group to manage the 2024 season, according to sources familiar with the plans. ESL FACEIT Group was formed in 2022 after Savvy Games Group bought both ESL and FACEIT in a $1.5 billion merger. The organization, which is owned by a Saudi Arabian company, hosts several of the world’s biggest esports tournaments, including those for Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Rocket League and Dota 2.
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This news was announced during BlizzCon 2023, during which Blizzard showcased several highly anticipated releases for its biggest games.
This included the announcement of three new expansions for World of Warcraft, new changes and expansion content coming for Diablo 4, as well as a look at what's coming to Overwatch 2 in Season 8 (expected to start on December 5) and beyond.
Source: windowscentral.com
