Overwatch Contenders will have “expanded live events” in 2019, Blizzard announced today. The circuit’s eight regions will participate in “interregional events,” called Showdown matches,” that use a double-elimination style bracket. Teams that perform best will get spots to compete in a Contenders Gauntlet event scheduled for later in the year.
The Showdown events divide each of the eight Contenders regions into two divisions, each with four regions. Each region will send their top teams to the Atlantic Showdown and Pacific Showdown, respectively. Showdowns will be held during the Overwatch League’s mid-year break.
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From May 24 to 26, the Pacific showdown will be held in China with teams from Australia, China, Korea, and the Pacific. One team from Australia and the Pacific each will be invited, with two teams each from Korea and China. The Atlantic Showdown will be held May 31 to June 2 in Europe or the Americas, with two teams from Europe, three from North America, and one from South America.
Top teams from the season will participate in The Gauntlet, which will be held from Oct. 10 to 13. Performance in the Showdowns will determine invites, Blizzard said. The tournament will be held after the Overwatch League concludes for its 2019 season.
Overwatch Contenders players don’t typically get the same LAN experience across the board. Certain regions have live broadcasts and LAN finals, but other regions operate the entire system online. In Overwatch’s Path to Pro, experience at larger-scale events is important and often overlooked, despite being a major factor in a player’s long-term success. Contenders’ new international live events will be important for smaller-scale regions that don’t typically have access to LAN events. Dot Esports has reached out to Blizzard regarding future regional LAN events.
