Overwatch League new format and what’s next with Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2
January 22, 2021
Jordan Ashley

The Overwatch League has been a huge success since the launch of the game. The shooter’s competitive league has become one of the biggest esports around. Even as the player base has declined, the league has remained strong and consistently pulled in high viewing numbers.

In recent days we’ve found out about a OWL league 2021 format change which is set to shake things up. The sequel on the horizon with Overwatch changes things though. The Overwatch League and Overwatch 2 are bound to have an effect. The league change next year is a minor adjustment when you consider the big changes on the horizon.

So with a new format and a sequel coming soon, what’s next for the Overwatch League?

OWL Format Update

© Overwatch League

The Overwatch League Format Change

Overwatch League is due a format change starting off in 2021. These are the five main changes from the previous seasons:

  • The regular season is now divided into four tournament cycles. Qualifying matches are held before each of these tournaments.
  • Teams are divided into East and West. East is eight teams, West is 12 teams.
  • More global competitions with teams in different regions are going to be held. 
  • This will be facilitated through a direct connection from Hawaii to Asia, kind of a step-up for covid-safe esports.
  • Live events are still off the table, but will return as soon as possible. 

The big take-away from this change to the Overwatch League format is more tournaments, and less main season matches. Minor additions are some precautions being taken to improve matches that can’t be played in person. These are all fairly small changes, and pretty much all positive.

Is this the final form for the Overwatch League though?

The Overwatch League and Overwatch 2 are likely to see some bigger changes, making the 2021 season of Overwatch League feel like a last outing for the original game.

Overwatch League and Overwatch 2

We don’t currently know the release date for Overwatch 2, and it is safe to say that the pandemic has impacted the development on the game. No new heroes are being released, and new content is limited until the new version of the game drops. So with Overwatch in the twilight of its years, changes in Overwatch League are likely to come with the new game.

Many people are hinting that Overwatch should follow Call of Duty’s example. That is the closest equivalent to Overwatch at Activision Blizzard, and their leagues are structured similarly. With CoD expanding the league and adding new teams to cover expanded interest with the release of new games, Overwatch should do too. With the OWL shifting to a more tournament based format, it would now fit a bigger league roster pretty well.

The re-jigged regions also leave plenty of room to maneuver, while extra teams allows for more tournaments and local games. This allows them to take advantage of Overwatch’s impressive match attendance once in-person events can resume. 

In terms of gameplay, Overwatch 2 is going to be keeping the multiplayer pretty familiar to keep the league players onside. Overwatch’s fan base is not known for reacting well to change.

However, Overwatch 2 will add a lot of new content at once. A longer beta period can be expected to give players the chance to get used to it, and to allow for balancing changes before moving the league over. This essentially gives the league a longer period to figure out any format changes or expansion that could come with Overwatch 2.

Will Overwatch 2 Invigorate the League?

An expanded League structure would also help to alleviate one of OWL’s biggest current problems, player turnoff. A lot of big names have left the game for Valorant in recent years. While many react with hyperbole that Overwatch is dying, it’s more likely that this is just a sign of burnout. Pro players have a shelf life and many move on from a game after such intense competition for years. Overwatch has now been around long enough that a whole batch of players are facing burnout or ageing out of the game.

Overwatch 2 offers an opportunity to massively expand the league’s talent pool by reinvigorating interest in the game. As a hyped up new release, Overwatch League and Overwatch 2 will be a big focus for emerging talent. 

Overwatch 2 will bring more interest back to the game and hopefully expand both the market for and the supply of pro players in the game. Overwatch League is still fun, but the release of Overwatch 2 has the potential to make it even more exciting. 

Read next: Is The Overwatch Competitive Scene Dying?