Blizzard is making cutbacks to its Overwatch Contenders League, a contest designed to assist Overwatch gamers and groups attain their skilled potential. Seasons are getting longer, however now there are going to be solely two seasons every year. The most variety of groups in every area shall be lower down and all non-Academy groups must re-qualify if they need a spot in 2019 seasons with out their Season Three putting taken under consideration.
Prizes are going to be extra closely weighted towards prime groups. North America is getting break up into two areas, every with eight groups. That group quantity goes for each area – they’re all getting dropped from 12 to eight, although that change has but to be confirmed in China. Any Academy group that’s not already in Contenders shall be invited to 2019 Season One, although regular-season relegation guidelines will apply as soon as once more with Season Two.
Qualification for 2019 isn’t a given for all the highest groups by the tip of the yr, although the announcement says “many top-performing teams from 2018 Contenders Season Three will automatically be qualified.” That all depends upon what number of Academy invites are accepted, and groups left behind must re-qualify by Contenders Trials.
Teams are additionally going to be topic to “soft region locking,” that means that they’re allowed solely three non-resident gamers on the roster. That’s a change Blizzard says “will lead to the healthiest global competitive ecosystem in the long term.”
Most of those adjustments have been controversial since they had been first leaked yesterday by sources together with VPEsports, although right this moment’s announcement doesn’t affirm each change from the leaks. Notably, a recorded assembly included a observe that there shall be “no offline finals” in Season Three. Blizzard could also be hedging on whether or not that’ll nonetheless be the case by the point we get there, however there’s no uncertainty in that quote.
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