Activision Blizzard has revealed that Overwatch League teams will hold a vote to decide the league’s fate at the end of this season, while the layoffs hint at a bleak future for the company’s esports plans.
Revealed in Q2 2023 settlementActivision Blizzard has announced that it will offer Overwatch League teams such as the San Francisco Shock and London Spitfire a $6 million payout if they choose not to continue. “As previously disclosed, our cooperation agreements for professional esports leagues continue to face headwinds,” the report said.
“At the end of the current Overwatch League season, teams will vote on a renewed operating contract. If a team does not vote to continue under their updated operating contract, each participating team will A $6 million termination fee will be paid to the entity (approximately $114 million total).
Activision Blizzard also noted that the franchise-based esports model brings in very little cash. “Total revenue from the Overwatch League makes up less than 1% of our consolidated net revenue,” he said.
The esports business is believed to have cooled in recent years, with one Valorant team owner calling esports “one of the worst things” in June. Therefore, this vote that will determine the fate of Overwatch his league will probably be seen by many as an opportunity to withdraw.
According to league commissioner Sean Miller, a team’s vote not to continue doesn’t necessarily mean the end of Overwatch esports.talk to of VergeOverwatch “remains committed to a competitive ecosystem in 2024 and beyond,” Miller said, adding that the company is currently “building towards a revitalized global scene that puts players and fans first. ‘ said.
Of course, it’s unclear exactly what that means, and perhaps even Miller won’t know until the team votes, but Overwatch esports fans at least have something to look forward to in the future. It seems
This was despite significant layoffs within Activision Blizzard’s esports division. About 50 employees lost their jobs in what one person described as “a major devastation for Activision Blizzard esports,” as reported by The Verge.
IGN said in their 8/10 game review: “His switch to a 5v5 format for Overwatch 2 has breathed new life into what was once the sharpest shooter, and it has yet to fully regain all of its glory.”
Ryan Dinsdale is a freelance reporter for IGN. He will talk about witchers all day long.
