The Overwatch League is likely to expand with more teams in Season 2 later this year. The news was revealed by a representative from Blizzard during its quarterly earnings call. The representative mentioned that additional expansion teams are expected to be sold in late 2018.
The initial price for starting franchised teams in the Overwatch League is expected to increase beyond the reported $20 million. Blizzard expects the Overwatch League to begin delivering profits in 2018, which will be its first full year of operation.
The current season will be ending sometime in July 2018. Blizzard will also be setting its focus on improving the viewer experience and expanding its target audience. No further details have been revealed regarding the plans for Season 2 and beyond.
There are currently twelve franchises or teams in the Overwatch League, of which only three are representatives from outside of the United States. These teams are London Spitfire, Seoul Dynasty, and Shanghai Dragons, representing both Europe and Asia. The rest are American-based teams, such as New York Excelsior, Boston Uprising and more.
More non-American teams will need to join the Overwatch League for it to obtain a larger international audience. It would be notable to point out that all of the players in London Spitfire are South Koreans. If more European or Asian players enter the fray, it might bolster the interest of international audiences.
The Overwatch League, commonly abbreviated as OWL, is a professional eSports league featuring the wildly popular game Overwatch. It was founded in 2017 by Blizzard Entertainment. What sets it apart from other eSports leagues is the fact that it follows city-based teams which are divided into two divisions comprised of six teams each. A total prize pool of $3.5 million awaits the champion of Season 1. Its pro players are also given a minimum base salary of $50,000, healthcare, retirement saving plans, and housing.
Image Credit: Robert Paul / Blizzard Entertainment
