Heroes never die, and Overwatch will give 32 teams a chance at immortality this week.
Starting August 24, FaceIt and Eleague will kick off the Overwatch Open North American and European playoffs as part of a contest worth $100,000. Each region will host 16 teams, and the top 4 from across North America and Europe will then combine with another 12 that qualified through their point standings throughout the qualifiers will form the final 16. Eleague and FaceIt will broadcast coverage of the event on the Overwatch Open Twitch channel as it attempts to establish the competitive-gaming community of the popular team-based shooter. Pro gaming events are nearing $1 billion in market size, but that doesn’t include the increased spending on items in games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Rocket League from highly engaged esports fans.
Eleague, Turner’s esports organization that runs on TBS, and FaceIt, a tournament platform company, are managing the Overwatch Open. They are hoping that this game, which has dominated the sales charts this summer, will turn into the next Counter-Strike and attract millions of viewers.
To bring in those fans, Eleague and FaceIt have announced the lineup of pro teams headed to the Overwatch Open. Here’s who you can root for starting on Wedensday:
North America
- Envyus
- Cloud9
- Fnatic
- Complexity Gaming
- NRG Esports
- Team Liquid
- Sodipop
- Splyce
- Selfless
- Colorado Clutch
- Sea Algae
- Method
- Northern Gaming
- Geckofox
- Mono
- I’m Your Huckleberry
Europe
- Misfits
- Rogue
- Reunited
- Luminosity Gaming
- Team Dignitas
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Anox
- Faze
- Melty
- Prets
- Bringos
- OWKings
- NNY
- Bfly
- The Gatekeepers
- BBE
Once the final teams are selected, they will go on to compete in the Overwatch finals at the Eleague Arena in Atlanta later this year.