The Overwatch League kind off came out of nowhere. Sure, Blizzard announced the whole project a while ago but it always seemed like a reality that’s far off. It was hard envisioning such an ambitious scheme going through.

Back then, there were over thirty million players which is nothing to scoff at but to step into the esports field that’s essentially dominated by MOBA games seemed overly ambitious at the time. Not to mention the fact that each spot in the Overwatch League had a twenty million dollar price tag. Multiply that by twelve which is the number of teams that are competing – divided into the Atlantic and Pacific divisions, and you get an absurdly large sum of money that’s getting invested into a game that many didn’t even see as a viable esport.

Creating something so monumental was an immense risk. The Overwatch World Cup had some very nice numbers overall, but whenever you watched a smaller tournament like the Contenders series or an APEX tournament in Korea, they would always hover under ten thousand viewers which is less than what most popular streamers get on a daily basis.

As esports journalist Richard Lewis elegantly put it – Overwatch isn’t meant to be an esport. It’s far too complex from a visual standpoint to be understood by a wider audience. Blizzard was essentially trying to create an esport out of thin air, and it was a bold move in every way imaginable.

With a game like Counter-Strike you have guns and even though they vary in damage or firing rate – they’re still guns. Pretty straightforward. Oh, and there’s a knife and a couple of grenades. Once again – as simple as it can get. Overwatch, on the other hand, isn’t. You have vastly different heroes, and every one has a different set of abilities, particle effects, sounds, ultimates, etc.

When you mix all of that into hectic six-on-six team fighting, you get absolute chaos. Both visually and literally.

So how was someone who never watched or played Overwatch supposed to differentiate what was going on screen? The odds were against Blizzard, and if things didn’t pan out hundreds of millions of dollars would go down the drain and esports as a whole would be set back considerably.

Fortunately, things turned out better than anyone ever imagined.

Let’s take a closer look at what exactly makes the Overwatch League so unique among other esports.

The Amount of Effort

Every single part of the Overwatch League screams “high-quality.” The graphics, the music, the Blizzard Arena in California, the ton of video content that they create with players and teams on a weekly basis – there isn’t a part of the league that feels rushed or unfinished.

To be fair, with so much money on the line they should be delivering such a top-tier experience however it’s still incredible and highly commendable that they got so many things right from the very get-go.

Not to mention the fact that the Overwatch League has arguably the best weekly recap and preview shows in the entire esports field. Almost two hours of high-quality analysis and comedic banter from the casters and analysts on Monday and Tuesday.

Some might argue this but there isn’t a game developer out there that has invested so much into every single element of broadcasting, and with the Overwatch League it shows at every step.

Amazing Casters

You start watching esports for the gameplay – that’s for sure, but eventually you kind of just develop a habit. As time goes on, the hosts, casters, and analysts become such an integral part of the viewing experience that it’s impossible to separate them from the game you’re watching.

The Overwatch League has some of the best people in the business. Three caster duos – each with their own style and rhythm, multiple analysts and two fantastic hosts. They’re all absolute professionals, but you can just sense the amount of fun they’re having every day of broadcasting.

That kind of energy and enthusiasm is contagious and the fact that they’re able to sustain such an immense amount of hype even after six grinding months is highly commendable.

Marketable Players

Even after only a couple of months, it’s evident that the Overwatch League has some really big personalities and highly marketable players.

That’s often missing with League. The average age of a League of Legends esports competitor is well under twenty, and the majority of them aren’t that relaxed when in front of a camera. Not to mention the fact that they’re often shy and laser-focused on their own performance.

While you can’t blame them for focusing on the game, everyone else is missing out on a lot of potential fun. It’s pretty rare to see a player like Doublelift of FORG1VEN who talk the talk and walk the walk. When they do come along, you just have to tune in to see them either fail miserably or revel in their own glory.

Because Blizzard focuses so much on creating exciting content, you get to know these players a lot quicker (and more in-depth) when compared to a game like League or DOTA2.

With the Overwatch League there’s friendly banter, trash talk as well as rivalries. With so much money on the line, they’re fighting tooth and nail for every advantage they can get and to you, as a viewer that’s always a plus.

Drama

It might seem counter-intuitive, but every good esport has drama from time to time. Whether that’s concerning the game itself or the players, by having unexpected things happen it’s easier to create hype and intriguing storylines.

Even though the Overwatch League exists for only seven or so months, there has been a ton of drama. Players getting suspended for hate speech, homophobia, boosting, bad attitudes – you name it.

Active Calendar

Blizzard has a very active schedule that takes up the entire calendar year. The Overwatch League starts in January and lasts up to June, with the playoffs being in July. You have multiple APEX tournaments in Korea as well as the Contenders series in North America and Europe, and of course, the World Cup near the end of the year.

In other words, if you enjoy watching Overwatch, then you’re in for quite a treat.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Even though predictions were very grim, when the Overwatch League officially began this January, it drew almost half a million concurrent viewers. The stream peaked at a bit over 430k for the Dallas Fuel vs. Seoul Dynasty match and with good reason – it was a clash between the best North American and Korean team at the time.

After the first week concluded, over ten million people watched at least a bit of the action. Those are some confusingly high numbers for a game that was presumed dead even before it’s esports story began.

Will the novelty fall off? Probably not, even though it’s too early to know for sure. What we do know is the fact that after six months of non-stop play, the Overwatch League is maintaining very respectable numbers – between 90 and 120 thousand concurrent viewers just on the main Twitch channel.

Not too shabby.

Insane Skill Expression

Overwatch is one of those games where individual skill expression takes center stage. There are so many complex and endlessly interesting heroes, and every one has a different learning curve. Watching professional players duke it out on the stage is as exciting as esports can get.

There are certain players that have reached the absolute peak of mechanical prowess – guys like Pine, Saebyeolbe, Carpe, etc. Watching them “work” is nothing short of a masterclass. You get hyped beyond belief when you see Pine get an incredible triple kill while zip-lining through the map on Widowmaker.

When you compare this to a game like League of Legends, you quickly come to realize that watching Overwatch is a lot more fun. Sure we’re comparing apples and oranges here, but an average competitive League game lasts between thirty to fifty minutes – if not, even more, depending on the meta.

Now players can absolutely display their talent in League as well, but there are a lot more factors. If their team isn’t performing, then they won’t have the resources to become a mid or late game threat. As the years went on, League became more, and more of a team game and the teams that have the best cohesion and synergy have the upper hand – that’s all fine and dandy, but from a viewership standpoint it’s far less exciting to watch.

With Overwatch, things start off immediately. There is no early, mid or late game. There’s no farming and waiting for an item or level power spike. It’s a lot like Counter-Strike, things go from zero to one hundred in a matter of seconds, and it’s an absolute blast to watch.

Viewing Experience

Overwatch is an incredibly fast game. It’s energetic, and even though it can become fiesta-like at times, there’s some serious strategy beneath the action. Every map requires a specific approach and has a set of most optimal hero picks and compositions.

So you can watch on a surface level and have a ton of fun, or you can dive a bit deeper and sink your teeth in the strategic element of the game – if crazy headshots isn’t what you’re looking for. The game is incredibly fun whether you’re playing by yourself or with friends and that transfers over with watching the OWL as well.

Enough Space For Everybody

Having so many games to pick from is exactly what makes esports so fun and engaging. Don’t like FPS games? Not a problem – you can watch something else and pick and choose from a plethora of games and genres.

Fortunately, the Overwatch League can co-exist alongside League of Legends, DOTA2, Fortnite and other competitive games. Whether or not it’s the most popular doesn’t matter – it can occupy a very specific niche role that’s quite popular as well.

With over 35 million players at the time of this writing, the game is alive and well. It’s developing as a competitive esport rapidly, and the steps Blizzard takes to further establish Overwatch as a top-tier esport will help other titles in the future as well.

So in short, even though the majority of people were skeptical when Blizzard laid out their plans for the Overwatch League, things did turn out great.

Competitive Overwatch is here to stay.