The 2021 Overwatch League season record is live with 208 total games slated for the regular season. Each team plans to play 16 regular-season qualifying matches, as well as additional tournaments across the four tournaments. Teams will be divided into two groups based on their location for the season: East and West, with 20 t eacheams is vying for a share of the $ 4.25 million prize pool in 2021.
This season, there will be eight teams in the Eastern division. Philadelphia Fusion has moved its operations to South Korea, and LA Valiant has shifted its operations to China. Chinese franchises Guangzhou Charge, Hangzhou Spark, Shanghai Dragons, and Chengdu Hunters, as well as South Korean franchises Seoul Dynasty and New York Excelsior, around the East Region. The other twelve teams that will be touring the 2021 Overwatch League will compete in the Western Division.
The season kicks off on April 16 with a resurgent clash between the Houston Outlaws and Dallas Fuel largely due to the retirement of Jacob “JAKE” Lyon, who left professional play after the 2019 OWL season. The 19-week season ends on August 21st.
In an update last month by the Overwatch League, it was mentioned that steps would be taken to compete globally as long as it remained safe in a global COVID-19 pandemic. , which led OWL pivot to full online format for its 2020 season:
“We are exploring a few different options to make this global competition possible, but our current positive approach is for the Western accreditation teams to travel to Hawaii, where they play against the best certification teams from the east through a straight line. connection from Hawaii to Asia. If necessary, however, due to changes in health, safety, and travel conditions, we will be prepared to move quickly back to a regional competition model. “