Another Overwatch Team Disbands as Players Enter Free Agency

Overwatch culling continues this week as well. It has been recently announced that major esports teas have released their roster. The latest to join the ever-growing trend of leaving Overwatch is Hammer Esports who have brought their major players into the free agency market. Overwatch is one of the major professional eSports league so this new trend might strike hard. Blizzard recently announced some major plans for the league. It will be using an organization of permanent teams in their league placements which are similar to traditional physical sports rather than using promotions and relegations like in series League of Legends Championship.Blizzard announced these big plans at the same time when many esports teams decided to join free agency market.

Hollywood Hammers Latest to join This Sudden Exodus

The organization posted on social media that they are really grateful to all players and staff for their work. Blizzard’s rule that all Overwatch players are in fact free agents may be one of the reasons why teams decided to join other markets. Latest to join this craze and leave the Overwatch scene is Hollywood Hamers. However, Hammers stated that they intend to keep their interest within competitive Overwatch so they will be monitoring the Overwatch’s  further developments.

Similar to other teams within the Overwatch that have recently cut their ties and embarked into a free market agency, Hammers placed poorly in the Season Zero tournament which was meant to serve as development and combine league for the Overwatch League. Blizzard’s road map regarding the league’s preseason last week released information that all current players are free agents. Well, this raised many eyebrows, so it might be one f the reasons for this sudden exodus with the Overwatch.

Large Exodus From the Overwatch Endemic Teams

Overwatch League franchise currently have to get new contracts signed with potential players even in case if those players are on the team at the moment. Players who are signed to endemic teams which aren’t becoming Overwatch league franchises have to either be released or work their way out of their contract in order to participate in the Overwatch League.

This might be an explanation of the large exodus for several endemic teams. Many esports fans and gamers are greatly disappointed that any teams are breaking apart and cutting their ties with the Overwatch League. It is greatly disheartening to all fans as well, but they still remain hopeful that there will be great competition even without these teams which decided to leave the league. Blizzard recently announced the league’s first seven franchises. In other words, the league’s preseason is greatly steamrolling along even though there is a conflict of interest that should be carefully navigated. We most likely won’t be disappointed with remaining teams the league, but we are sorry to see Hollywood Hammers and other teams leaving. Fans are still hopeful, and we are also even though our TEO Poll on whether this year’s Overwatch league will be successful gave not so optimistic results. Only slightly above 40 percent of fans believe that the league will be successful. The rest is to wait and see.