The inaugural season of the Overwatch League is lastly underway, and is already shaping as much as be probably the most bold esports championships in latest reminiscence. The seven-month event has a packed schedule, with gamers competing for $three.5 million value of bonuses throughout 4 levels made up of 5 game-weeks every.
Things kicked off with a bang as Los Angeles Valiant drew first blood with a Four-Zero victory over San Francisco Shock – a flattering ultimate scoreline in what was a tough fought sport. But since Overwatch isn’t essentially the most established esport on the market, we’ve put collectively a information introducing a few of the Overwatch League’s fundamental ideas.
We’ll go over the Overwatch League groups, the right way to get Overwatch League tokens, the skins they unlock, in addition to the total Overwatch League schedule and prize pool.
Overwatch League Teams:
The Overwatch League groups are break up into two divisions, with every workforce’s full season report counting in the direction of their postseason seeding. The common season is break up into 4 levels that final 5 weeks every, with per week’s break between every stage.
Overwatch League Pacific Division
- Dallas Fuel
Dallas Fuel are backed by Team Envy, one of many largest esports groups with greater than a decade within the enterprise. Their Overwatch workforce is made up of members of EnVyUs workforce that gained US Overwatch Contenders event on the tail finish of 2017. Although they misplaced their first sport in opposition to Seoul Dynasty, they’ll be robust opponents. - Los Angeles Gladiators
Owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, who additionally personal Premier League membership Arsenal, the Los Angeles Rams within the NFL, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, the Los Angeles Gladiators depend Shaz and Big Goose amongst their roster. Both gamers gained the Overwatch Contenders event in Europe with Team Gigantti earlier than becoming a member of the Gladiators. - Los Angeles Valiant
The LA Valiant are managed by the comparatively new, however profitable esports workforce Immortals. They have GrimReality on their Overwatch League workforce, probably the most promising younger US gamers competing for the championship. - San Francisco Shock
Via their homeowners NRG eSports, San Francisco Shock have the backing of sporting legends Alex Rodriguez and Shaquille O’Neal. They acquired an Overwatch workforce from Luminosity Gaming final 12 months and have added Nomy, who gained Overwatch Winter Premier 2017 with Immortals, to their roster as nicely. - Seoul Dynasty
Seoul Dynasty are owned by Facebook and cell sport developer Kabam, and have a few of the finest Korean gamers like RyuJeHong – who’s often known as probably the greatest helps in Overwatch – on their workforce. - Shanghai Dragons
The Shanghai Dragons have an all-Chinese roster comprising of seasoned professionals that’ve been there or thereabouts at main and premier Overwatch tournaments. They’re owned by NetEase, a Chinese web and gaming large who’re Blizzard’s most important companions in China.
Overwatch League Atlantic Division
- Boston Uprising
Boston Uprising are owned by the identical individuals because the New England Patriots, and have a various workforce of gamers who’ve accomplished nicely in minor tournaments in addition to a couple of majors. They’ll be trying to flip their promise into strong performances. - Houston Outlaws
OpTic Gaming are one of many largest names in esports, and supply the backing for the Houston Outlaws. They have a giant American contingent of their workforce, together with gamers who represented the US on the Overwatch World Cup. - London Spitfire
London Spitfire are one other robust workforce made up largely of Korean ex-GC Busan gamers who gained the APAC premier championship in 2017. They’re owned by main esports workforce Cloud9 – one of many world’s largest.
- Florida Mayhem
The Florida Mayhem are made up of gamers from the Misfits esports workforce that got here 2nd at Overwatch Contenders event, and the Sweden workforce that got here third on the Overwatch World cup.
- New York Excelsior
With nice gamers like Saebyeolbe – who gained the Overwatch World Cup with Korea – and Libero – who’s probably the greatest and most versatile gamers in Overwatch – New York Excelsior are going to be powerful to beat. They’re owned by the COO of the New York Mets, Jeff Wilpon.
- Philadelphia Fusion
Backed by the proprietor of NHL workforce Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Fusion have put their belief in long-time esports professionals like ex-Dota 2 participant Fragi and Canadian high-level help participant Joemeister.
How to earn free Overwatch League Tokens:
The Overwatch League launched a brand new forex to the sport – League Tokens – which you need to use to purchase a brand new set of hero skins based mostly on Overwatch League groups.
Each pores and skin prices 100 League tokens, with the price of extra tokens listed beneath:
100 League Tokens – $Four.99
200 League Tokens – $9.99
400 League Tokens – $19.99
900 League Tokens – $39.99
2600 League Tokens – $99.99
As you may see, the costs for each are steep. They’re speculated to be like conventional sports activities jerseys, the place you solely purchase and put on your favorite participant’s fairly than gather the entire workforce’s, however for completionists, it’s an exceptionally excessive quantity to play.
There are solely two methods to get free Overwatch League tokens:
The first is to gather 100 by logging into Overwatch.
You can get one other 100 without spending a dime by signing up to the Overwatch League Newsletter on Blizzard’s official site. You need to scroll all the way down to the place there’s a black field on the left, then enter your e mail.
Overwatch League Skins:
So, as we established above, Overwatch League skins are costly and you may solely earn a pair without spending a dime. Here’s what you truly get on your cash, or tokens should you’re nonetheless deciding on which to choose.
Overwatch League Schedule:
Overwatch League Week 1 Schedule: We’ll replace the schedule with new matches week-to-week. With time zones, this will get very complicated, in a short time however we’ve tried to make it as clear as doable.
January 10-11
- San Francisco Shock Zero-Four Los Angeles Valiant
- Shanghai Dragons Zero-Four Los Angeles Gladiators
- Dallas Fuel 1-2 Seoul Dynasty
- London Spitfire vs Florida Mayhem – 10PM GMT / 5PM EST / 2PM PST
January 11-12
- Philadelphia Fusion vs Houston Outlaws – 12AM GMT / 7PM EST (Jan 11) / 4PM PST (Jan 11)
- Boston Uprising vs New York Excelsior – 2AM GMT / 9PM EST (Jan 11) / 6PM PST (Jan 11)
January 12-13
- Los Angeles Valiant vs Dallas Fuel – 12AM GMT / 7PM EST (Jan 12) / 4PM PST (Jan 12)
- Florida Mayhem vs Boston Uprising – 2AM GMT / 9PM EST (Jan 12) / 6PM PST (Jan 12)
- San Francisco Shock vs Shanghai Dragons – 4AM GMT / 11PM EST (Jan 12) / 8PM (Jan 12)
- London Spitfire vs Philadelphia Fusion – 7PM GMT / 2PM EST / 11AM PST
- New York Excelsior vs Houston Outlaws – 9PM GMT / 4PM EST / 1PM PST
- Seoul Dynasty vs Los Angeles Gladiators – 11PM GMT / 6PM EST / 3PM PST
Rewards for Watching Overwatch League:
One of essentially the most attention-grabbing bulletins Blizzard has made within the run as much as the beginning of the Overwatch League is that it’s partnering with Twitch to supply “exclusive in-game items” for individuals who watch the broadcasts.
Twitch then confirmed that these would come with however weren’t restricted to “custom Overwatch League Cheermotes”, and that extra can be introduced “when they’re available”.
Overwatch League Scoring:
How groups rating within the Overwatch League will be complicated at first, however is similar to how common video games of Overwatch work.
Teams earn factors for profitable matches, which then determines their standing of their league division.
Each match is performed over 4 or 5 maps, and the primary workforce to “win” three maps takes residence the factors.
How groups win a map adjustments relying on which map it’s. On “Escort” maps like Dorado, the offensive workforce tries to maneuver a payload ahead, whereas the defending workforce tries to push them again – with every workforce scoring factors relying on how efficiently they assault and defence. On “Assault” maps like Temple of Anubis, the offensive workforce attempt to seize set factors the map whereas the defending workforce tries to cease them – once more scoring level based mostly on how profitable they’re. Then on “Control” maps like Ilios, each groups battle it out over the identical factors, scoring factors after they take management of the purpose.
Overwatch League Prize Pool:
The whole prize pool of bonuses that gamers are competing for within the Overwatch League is $three.5 million, on high of the $50,000 wage that each participant will get for participating. How that breaks down is beneath.
Finish bonuses for normal season:
1st place: $300,000
2nd place: $200,000
third + 4th place: $150,000
fifth + sixth place: $100,000
seventh + eighth place: $75,000
ninth + 10th place: $50,000
11th + 12th place: $25,000
Stage title matches:
1st Place: $100,000
2nd Place: $25,000
Championship playoffs placement bonuses:
1st Place: $1,000,000
2nd Place: $400,000
third + 4th Place: $100,000
fifth + sixth Place: $50,000
The Overwatch League common season began on January 10, 2018 and lasts till June 16. The playoffs then begin on July 11 till July 22, earlier than the grand ultimate takes place from July 26 to July 28.
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