Is Overwatch An Esport?

The game Overwatch has been gaining a lot of popularity lately, but is it an esport? We take a look at the game and what it has to offer as an esport.

Introduction

Since its release in 2016, Overwatch has been one of the most popular first-person shooters (FPS) in the world. The game has a large and passionate fan base, and its success has led to speculation about whether or not it could become an esport.

While there is no official Overwatch league, there are several professional Overwatch teams and tournaments. These events have attracted a significant amount of attention from both fans and the gaming industry, leading many to believe that Overwatch could potentially become an esport.

However, there are several factors that could prevent Overwatch from becoming a truly successful esport. First and foremost, the game is still relatively new and has not yet had time to develop a solid competitive scene. Additionally, the game is not particularly well-suited for competitive play, as balance issues and individual player abilities can often dictate the outcome of a match.

Only time will tell if Overwatch will become a successful esport. However, even if it does not become a top-tier competitive game, it is still one of the most enjoyable and popular FPS games available today.

What is an Esport?

Overwatch is a competitive multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released in May 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game is a departure from Blizzard’s previous work—a real-time strategy game named StarCraft.

The Definition of an Esport

An esport is a form of sport competition that is facilitated by electronic systems, particularly video games. The most common video game genres associated with esports are real-time strategy, fighting, first-person shooter (FPS) and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). Tournaments such as The International, the League of Legends World Championship, the Battle.net World Championship Series and the Evolution Championship Series provide both live coverage of the event in progress and prize money for teams competing. Although organized online and offline competitions have long been a part of video game culture, these were largely between amateurs until the late 2000s when participation by professional gamers and spectatorship in these events through live streaming saw a large surge in popularity. Individual broadcasters can enter an agreement with Twitch or Hitbox in which they receive a portion of the advertisement revenue based on how many viewers they bring to the website. Publishers may also implement mechanisms that prevent players from playing on their servers unless they have a valid contract with them, preventing them from competing elsewhere without financial repercussions. Some games are also supported by franchise organizations; for example Overwatch is supported by 12 esports leagues run by Blizzard Entertainment itself, NBA 2K by 4 leagues ran by Take-Two Interactive’s 2K Games division as well as numerous tournaments around the world including gaming conventions and online qualifiers—and each year’s championship finals offer pooled prize money larger than any other convention-based tournament outside of Dota 2’s The International.[13}
In some cases publishers may also help organize or directly finance tournaments themselves as seen in Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch League where Blizzard helps manage scheduling and broadcasting while also bearing some of the financial cost related to running the league itself. For broader coverage of this topic, see Video game controversies#Esports

The History of Esports

Esports, also known as electronic sports, competitive (video) gaming, or pro gaming is a form of sport where the primary goal is to play video games in a competitive manner, usually in teams but sometimes also individually.

The history of esports is relatively short, dating back to the early 1990s when competitions started being held in arcades. One of the earliest and most popular arcade games was Street Fighter II, which was followed by games like Doom and Quake. These early tournaments were mostly local affairs, with the winners getting their names put on the High Score list at the arcade.

The first real esports tournament was held in 1997 for the game StarCraft: Brood War. The prize pool was $50,000 and was won by a 16-year-old from South Korea named Lim Yo-Hwan. Since then, esports have exploded in popularity, with tournaments being held for nearly every major video game. The majority of these tournaments are organized by the game’s developer or publisher, but there are also many independent tournaments.

The prize pools for these tournaments can be very large, with the largest one to date being over $34 million for the Dota 2 tournament The International 8. The most popular games in esports are Dota 2 and League of Legends, with both having large annual tournaments with multimillion-dollar prize pools.

What is Overwatch?

Overwatch is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released in May 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game is a sequel to the 2014 game Titanfall and was released as part of a bundle called Titanfall 2: Ultimate Edition.

Overwatch’s Gameplay

Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, released in May 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. A sequel, Overwatch 2, is in development and set to be released.

The game is a “hero shooter” with various heroes of different classes that players can control. The player can switch between heroes during the course of a match. Each hero has unique abilities that are further defined by character traits. Players are assigned one of three roles: tank, damage, or support.

The game’s maps are inspired by locations from all over the globe, including real world cities such as London, Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro. The game’s roster of heroes consists of over 30 characters coming from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities.

Overwatch’s Characters

Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released in May 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game centers around the conflict between two groups of superheroes who attempt to stop a global catastrophe.

Overwatch features a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique abilities and role within a team. The game is designed to promote teamwork and individual skill, and each character has the potential to impact the course of a match in significant ways.

The game has been well received by critics, with many praising its balance, characters, and maps.

Overwatch as an Esport

With the release of Overwatch, many in the gaming community have wondered if it has what it takes to be an esport. With its fast-paced action, interesting characters, and competitive gameplay, Overwatch has the potential to be a great esport. However, there are some factors that could prevent it from becoming a top-tier esport. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of Overwatch as an esport.

The Pros of Overwatch as an Esport

Many people think that Overwatch isn’t an esport because it doesn’t have a long history like some of the other games. Others believe that it has the potential to be a great esport, but Blizzard hasn’t done enough to support the competitive scene. Here are some of the advantages that Overwatch has as an esport.

Overwatch is an inclusive game with a diverse range of characters. This is one of the things that makes it unique and attractive to a wide range of people. It’s also a selling point for sponsorships and advertising.

The game is easy to watch and understand. Newcomers can quickly get up to speed on what’s happening, and even casual viewers can appreciate the action. This makes it more accessible than some of the other esports, which can be impenetrable for new viewers.

The game is well balanced. Blizzard has put a lot of work into making sure that no one character or playstyle is overpowered. This encourages teams to experiment with different strategies and keeps the games interesting.

The Cons of Overwatch as an Esport

While it has been garnering a lot of attention and seems to have all the features of a good eSport, there are some aspects of Overwatch that could hold it back from becoming a truly top-tier competitive game.

First and foremost is the preference forConsole over PC. In the world of eSports, PC is king. The majority of the most popular games at the highest level of play are exclusively on PC, with only a handful (League of Legends, CS:GO, etc.) being played on both PC and console. While this doesn’t seem like a big deal at first glance, it actually presents a very large barrier to entry.

The average console player is used to playing with a controller, while the average PC player uses a mouse and keyboard. The two styles of play are completely different and take a significant amount of time to adjust to. Because console players are so used to playing with a controller, they would need to put in an extraordinary amount of effort to switch to mouse and keyboard just to compete at an eSports level — something that most casual players wouldn’t be willing to do.

This creates a situation where the only players who would be able to compete at the highest levels of Overwatch would be those who are already familiar with playing FPS games on PC. This would result in a much smaller pool of potential top-level players, which in turn would lead to less interest from fans and sponsors alike. In other words, without making the switch to PC, Overwatch might not be able reach its full potential as an eSport.

Conclusion

Overwatch is a popular first-person shooter game that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world. While it is not currently an official esport, there is a growing community of professional Overwatch players and tournaments. If you are interested in becoming a professional Overwatch player, you will need to practice hard and learn as much as you can about the game.