Around 50 Activision Blizzard employees have been laid off from the eSports team, causing some speculation about the division moving forward. The Overwatch League has been hit by recent changes, and the latest Activision Blizzard layoffs could play a role in the future of the popular eSports competition scene.
Overwatch 2's launch received a mixed reception due to the many changes that the live-service game made to the original formula. Although the Overwatch League has faded in popularity compared to its standing during the first game, some fans still follow their favorite teams and anticipate each eSports match. With Activision Blizzard looking to amend the Overwatch League agreement terms around the same time as these layoffs, the two may be related.
Originally reported by The Verge, Activision Blizzard has laid off about 50 employees from the eSports sector. The laid-off eSports team members were let go suddenly and were not offered roles elsewhere in the company. According to some of the laid-off Activision Blizzard employees, the changes came as a shock as the team was working on new Overwatch League tournament tools. These tournament tools would've likely played a role in the next Overwatch League competition, but they haven't been implemented in Overwatch 2 yet which has led some of the developers to question the game's future.
Following the current Overwatch League season, teams will vote on an updated agreement and could be paid $6 million each if they choose to decline it. If none of the Overwatch League teams renew with Activision Blizzard after the current season, the company will pay out approximately $114 million. One laid-off Activision Blizzard employee suggested that the developer is "completely unequipped to internally support" further Overwatch League matches due to the support team that would normally be required. This eSports adjustment comes on the heels of Activision Blizzard announcing that Overwatch 2 is jumping from Battle.net to other PC storefronts like Steam.
Though Overwatch 2's move to Steam may boost player numbers, the eSports division may not be able to rebound in time for its launch on the platform. With the Overwatch League failing to reach the viewership that it did in the past, Activision Blizzard may have decided that the eSports division was too expensive to continue operating. The Overwatch 2 eSports changes may have been an Activision Blizzard plan all along, but it's unclear if Microsoft's legal moves to acquire the company may have played a role.
Overwatch 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: The Verge