Posted on 07/23/2016 2:00:40 PM PDT by BenLurkin
TBS announced that it will air the Overwatch Open Grand Finals.
In a press release, ELeague, a new esports organization established in partnership between Turner, WME | IMG, and Faceit, will host a new $300,000 Overwatch tournament. Most of the tournament will take place on Twitch, while TBS will broadcast the finals alongside the Internet stream.
The online phase of the tournament will begin on July 23 and is limited to North America and Europe. The online rounds will lead to the playoffs, which will run during the weekend of August 26. The top eight teams from each region will then head to the finals. The two remaining teams will complete for top prize at Turner Studios ELeague Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Overwatch has seen monumental success since launch. The game currently boasts over ten-million players, pointing to a very healthy competitive scene. It also seems that ELeague is planting its feet firmly with first-person shooters. We have yet to see traditional MOBAs (massive online battle arena) get television time on Eleague. That being said, games like League of Legends or Dota 2 currently hold the most clout in terms of online viewership, and have found their way onto ESPN channels in less sponsored formats, like The International and Heroes of the Dorm.
(Excerpt) Read more at digitaltrends.com ...
Why would I pay $300,000 to watch someone play Overwatch?
I played Overwatch during their free open beta week. Really hectic but really fun. The graphics in the game are pretty damn awesome.
I can’t justify shelling out 60 bucks to buy it though. If it was $30 I would. I’m glad to see it already has so many players.
I can’t fathom why I would spend $300,000 to watch someone play Overwatch, when I can watch my son play it for free.
At Blizzcon 2015, I tried playing Overwatch. It was all I could do not to throw up. It is NOT a game for those with motion sickness issues.
That’s chump change next to DOTA2’s 18MM prize last year.
I’ve tried to watch computer game tournaments and they are boring. There is undoubtedly a lot of talent and coordination going on, but there aren’t that many amazing moments for viewers. I think I’ve seen one ooohh moment, when somebody killed somebody by throwing a knife across a battle scene and it avoided a ton of obstacles and killed an enemy a few screens over.
I played quake team death match in the mid 90s. But since I found MMOs, I expect more then a handful of people in a tiny arena. Especially if there is no benefit to winning. No gear upgrades. No movement bonuses. No cool toys to use in combat. No progression at all. You’re competing for nothing.
It’s literally a nonstop gerbil wheel.
Even the gerbil gets off the wheel after a while
Don’t they mean that the players will be playing Overwatch for $300,000?
LOL! That’s a keeper for bad headlines!
I sure am out of the loop, apparently.
What is Overwatch? Never heard of it.
What is Twitch? Never heard of it, either.
Overwatch is a video game, Twitch is an app used to watch people playing the game.
Used to like watching the unreal matches on g4
I stopped playing when I, too, realized that gaming was a wheel for rats. Even if you’re getting “upgrades” and “new toys” it still amounts to 0 in the real world. Call it a condom for the soul; this Second Life which people are living for more and more hours.
The push for augmented reality will make the plunge total. Those who resist will suffer in many ways.
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