‘Overwatch’ Esports League Bans Crypto, NFT, and AI Sponsors
Activision Blizzard’s high-profile Overwatch League franchise competitors collapsed late final yr after pandemic-related setbacks and groups’ financial struggles lower quick its ambitions. Now, a brand new Overwatch aggressive league is spinning up round fashionable hero shooter Overwatch 2—nevertheless it’s taking an anti-crypto stance.
The Overwatch Champions Collection, a extra open aggressive format overseen by outstanding esports event operator ESL FACEIT Group, was revealed final week. On Wednesday, the league revealed its official rulebook, which put some restrictions on group sponsors.
Groups competing within the official new Overwatch esports league can’t have sponsors which might be related to “cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency exchanges,” in addition to NFTs and “synthetic intelligence/machine studying.” The restrictions have been first noticed by The Esports Advocate editor James Fudge.
Decrypt’s GG reached out to Blizzard Leisure and ESL FACEIT representatives for remark, however neither responded by time of writing.
The esports and cryptocurrency industries have been considerably intertwined in recent times as crypto firms lavished groups and leagues with beneficial sponsorships.
The most important of these got here from FTX, which signed a 10-year, $210 million naming rights deal with Staff SoloMid (TSM). FTX additionally inked a seven-year sponsorship take care of Riot Video games for its League of Legends Championship Collection (LCS) league in america, with the settlement later revealed to be valued at almost $100 million.
However following the collapse of FTX in late 2022, such offers have been much less widespread. That could be due partly to much less crypto cash being thrown round amid a down market that endured all through 2023, however might also point out hesitance on the a part of esports corporations regardless of financial struggles throughout that gaming business.
Edited by Ryan Ozawa.
