Activision Blizzard has announced the end of the Overwatch League.
In a statement sent to GGRecon, the company said it was “transitioning” away from the Overwatch League and is planning to take competitive Overwatch in a “new direction.”
“We are grateful to everyone who made OWL possible and remain focused on building our vision of a revitalised esports program,” the company said. “We are excited to share details with you all in the near future.”
As GGRecon reported, the news came after several teams exited the esports tournament, including Toronto Defiant and the Chengdu Hunters.
According to The Jacob Wolf Report, Activision Blizzard is reportedly in talks with the Saudi Arabian state-owned ESL FACEIT Group to run the 2024 Overwatch season.
GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Activision Blizzard for comment.
Earlier this year, the publisher filed an SEC filing in which it expressed doubts regarding the “longevity” of the Overwatch and Call of Duty Leagues.
“Our collaborative arrangements for our professional esports leagues […] continue to face headwinds which are negatively impacting the operations and, potentially, the longevity of the leagues under the current business model,” the filing read.
“We continue to work to address these challenges, which could result in significant costs, and such efforts may prove unsuccessful.”
In its financial report for H1 2023, the publisher noted that the total revenues from its Overwatch League comprised less than 1% of its consolidated revenue.
Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox
