ActiBlizz Confirms The Close Of Overwatch League
Following the departure of several teams like the Toronto Defiant and Chengdu Hunters, Activision Blizzard has confirmed that the Overwatch League will not return in its previous format. Esports for the Overwatch franchise are now going to be developed in a “new direction.”
It has been known since the summer that the Overwatch League (OWL) will undergo at least serious changes: viewer interest and revenues were falling, and at the end of the 2023 season, teams were asked to vote on their continued participation in the league.
In early October, with the conclusion of the Overwatch League 2023 season, the league’s official account announced that it would now “focus on establishing a vision for a revamped esports program.”
Now, in a statement to IGN and other specialized portals, a representative of Activision Blizzard said: “We are moving away from the Overwatch League and are developing the competitive component of Overwatch in a new direction.”
“We are grateful to everyone who made OWL a reality and remain focused on shaping our vision for a revamped esports program. We will be happy to share details in the near future,” Activision Blizzard assured.
The Overwatch League has suffered for several years from problems with popularity and at the same time the high cost of the organization. Amid the scandals surrounding Activision Blizzard, the league also began to lose sponsors, which is why the publisher began to doubt the current format.
