Highly-anticipated Overwatch tournaments, the Overwatch Contenders, have recently announced they will cast their games remotely. Blizzard Entertainment’s live broadcasts of each tournament will involve several regions, such as Australia, South America, South Korea, and more.
Blizzard had prepped their first week of Overwatch Contenders by settling into Germany’s TakeTV studio. Unfortunately, due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, the broadcast team won’t be able to physically be in the studio for future games. However, this doesn’t mean they’ll delay the matches. Recently shared details lay out how the tournaments will move forward.
Update on our upcoming Overwatch Contenders broadcasts – pic.twitter.com/xKINQHvV2j
— Overwatch Path to Pro (@owpathtopro) March 24, 2020
Due to government-mandated travel restrictions, the Overwatch Contenders won’t be able to broadcast via their studio in Germany. The in-person live casting of the games gave the tournaments a sense of professionalism the bigger leagues tend to have. The Overwatch Contenders serves as a pathway for professional gamers to eventually wind up in the Overwatch League, so not having an in-person event definitely dampens their experience. Several professionals such as Evie “Hamtornado” Feng, Harry “Legday” Pollit, and more, will now have to cast the games remotely. Doing so ensures the safety of everyone in the studio, and helps stop the spread of the deadly virus.
Dealing with circumstance
Additionally, as long as the crew is able to cast from their home, the tournaments should be alright to move forward. If they’re unable to cast or if a problem arises, then the schedule may have to be moved up. The broadcast for the European and North American regions began March 10 – right after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just yesterday, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel banned gatherings of more than 2 people, making things difficult for the tournament organizers.
As COVID-19 news continues to develop, esports organizations have shown flexibility throughout all of this. From event postponement, cancellations, and online broadcasts, the industry has shown its strength. Luckily for the Overwatch Contenders, it doesn’t seem like their schedule will change any time soon. If it does, we’ll be sure to keep our readers updated on Daily Esports.
