There can be no doubt that Overwatch has been one of Activision Blizzard’s most profitable franchises. On top of revenue from the game, the company has expanded into things like Overwatch face masks, merch, and of course, the Overwatch League.
Founded in 2018, the Overwatch League was created as the official, professional competitive scene for Overwatch. Teams in the league are separated by location, each representing a certain city. The League slots were purchased by established teams from Activision Blizzard for exorbitant amounts of money. Both the Overwatch League and the COD League have been hit hard by COVID induced marketing restrictions, but some new info has come to light revealing restrictions have been put on players through their contracts as well.
This news comes from Brandon “Seagull” Larned, former member of Team Envy. Envy was one of the founding teams of the OWL, becoming Dallas Fuel. Larned did not stick around the OWL for long, retiring after its first season in 2018. Only recently, in response to a Tweet from COD League player Seth “Scump” Abner, did Larned give at least part of the reason for this. Apparently, the contract offered by the OWL was very restrictive, even forbidding players from criticizing Overwatch in public. The severity of a contract like that puts the departure of pros like Gamsu in a slightly different light.
Larned said in the Tweet that his team “walked,” although they obviously did play in the inaugural OWL season. Presumably the contract was renegotiated before Team Envy signed. Considering the COD League, according to Scump, presented the contract without lawyers present, it’s likely not every OWL team got a renegotiation. Whatever the terms, they were not enough to keep Larned in the League for long. He is far from the only one to walk, as even Jay “Sinatraa” Won, a League MVP, quit to play Valorant.
As of this article it is uncertain whether or not other COD League or OWL players will come forward about contracts, or even if there is anything to come forward about any more. However, the OWL does not seem to be an attractive long-term prospect for some players. Incredibly, the Immortals Gaming Club is looking to sell its OWL slot, which as mentioned before, is a very expensive purchase.
How much these departures have to do with contracts is unknown, and there are other factors that could contribute. The OWL is clearly a stressful environment on several fronts, at least if the live collapse of one pro player is any indication.
Overwatch is available for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: Dexerto
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