The Overwatch League combines the best elements of esports and
traditional sports to create an unparalleled pro-level competitive
experience for players and fans of Blizzard's critically acclaimed
team-based shooter
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Overwatch®, Blizzard Entertainment's blockbuster team-based
shooter, is now over 20 million players strong, and among that number
are a new generation of sports heroes. With more and more players
continuing to distinguish themselves in the game, Blizzard Entertainment
today announced the creation of the Overwatch
League—a world-class sports ecosystem for professional Overwatch
competition. Combining Blizzard's esports pedigree with the best
practices of major professional sports, the Overwatch League will focus
on long-term stability for teams as well as opportunities for players to
establish the types of professional careers associated with traditional
sports.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161104005964/en/
"The Overwatch League represents not only the pinnacle of Overwatch
competition, but also a genuine career opportunity for the most skilled
Overwatch players," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard
Entertainment. "We're building a league that's accessible to players and
fans, sustainable, and exciting for everyone involved."
The inaugural season of the Overwatch League will begin in 2017. At the
start of the season, Blizzard will host a combine, where eligible
players who have previously distinguished themselves in competition will
be invited to try out for teams. Players at the combine will be
evaluated across a range of tests, giving teams the opportunity to sign
those who best round out their rosters. Anyone picked up by a team
during the signing period will be guaranteed a contract that includes a
baseline minimum salary and benefits package.
To support the growth and sustainability of local fan bases, Overwatch
League teams will represent major cities from different regions. Once
these city-based teams have been admitted to the league, their spots
will be secured, giving them the best opportunity to grow and thrive for
years to come.
Team announcements and additional Overwatch League information will be
shared in the coming months. In the meantime, players who aspire to
compete in the Overwatch League should continue making a name for
themselves in Overwatch.
To learn more about the Overwatch League, visit the official website at www.overwatchleague.com.
ABOUT OVERWATCH
Built from the ground up to usher in a new era of competitive gaming, Overwatch
is a team-based shooter that features a cast of 23 different heroes—each
with their own unique arsenal of extraordinary weapons and incredible
abilities. As battles to capture and control objectives play out in
exotic locations all over the world, players can switch between these
heroes on the fly, adapting their team's composition to the
ever-changing state of the battlefield.
ABOUT BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft®,
Hearthstone®, Overwatch®, the
Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises,
and the multifranchise Heroes of the Storm®, Blizzard
Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com),
a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer
and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of
the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment's
track record includes twenty-one #1 games and multiple Game of the Year
awards. The company's online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is
one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking
Statements:
Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment's
expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future,
including statements about the Overwatch League, including with
respect to its components, start date, and structure, are
forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of
risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard
Entertainment's actual future results to differ materially from those
expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release
include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the
risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report
on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The
forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information
available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the
date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision
Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may
ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of
the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard
and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which
are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially
from current expectations.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161104005964/en/
Blizzard Entertainment
Rob Hilburger
VP, Global Communications
949.242.8404
dir
rhilburger@blizzard.com
or
Andrew
Reynolds
Public Relations Director
(949) 955-1380 x14301
areynolds@blizzard.com
or
David
Gordon
Public Relations Manager
(949) 955-1380 x13506
dgordon@blizzard.com
Source: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media