Overwatch 2 to be part of Esports World Cup

The ever-growing list of games in the Esports World Cup adds one more to its roster: Overwatch 2.

Esports World Cup announced through its social media pages last March 11 that OW2 will officially have its own esports component in the multi-esport-title tournament.

Not much has been revealed yet about specifics for Overwatch 2’s participation in the said tilt, but back in January, Blizzard announced the Overwatch Champions Series or OWCS as the successor to the Overwatch League.

The Overwatch Champions Series spans teams North America (NA), Europe, Middle East, and North Africa (EMEA), and Asia. A separate Korean circuit for the esport has also been announced. The first OWCS Open Qualifiers will kick off in NA and EMEA shortly after the 2023-2024 Season of Calling All Heroes concluded February, with competition starting in March. Open Qualifiers for the Asia region also kicked off last month. The OWCS is expected to include opportunities to play for the Esports World Cup.

The Esports World Cup’s announcement also provided statistics for other games that will be played in the multi-esport tourney.

EWC’s teaser showed how the R6 Six Invitational 2024 event achieved 521,323 online viewers for its Grand Finals, as well as the 5.4 million viewers who tuned in to the 2021 Free Fire World Series Tournament. They also highlighted the appearance of PUBG Mobile and PC – with the PUBG Mobile Global Championship Season 0 reached over 3.8 million peak viewers.

Aside from Overwatch 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Starcraft II, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and other titles have been announced for the 2024 Esports World Cup.

The Esports World Cup is part of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy. “The Esports World Cup is the natural next step in Saudi Arabia’s journey to become the premier global hub for gaming and esports, offering an unmatched esports experience that pushes the boundaries of the industry. The competition will enhance our progress towards realizing the Vision 2030 objectives of diversifying the economy, growing the tourism sector, creating new jobs in various industries, and providing world-class entertainment for citizens, residents, and visitors alike,” said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

However, it is criticized by some observers as part of an “esportswashing” campaign to draw away attention from alleged human rights abuses being perpetrated by the Saudi government.