Esports orgs trickle back into ‘low-risk’ competitive Overwatch ahead of OWCS

The landscape and direction of Overwatch esports has shifted dramatically since the closure of the Overwatch League, but for the first time since before the league’s inception, organizations are making their way back.

Both M80 Esports and Spacestation Gaming, who compete in titles like Rocket League and Rainbow Six, among others, have signed Overwatch rosters today, with the open qualifiers for the Overwatch Champions Series in North America and EMEA just days away. M80 and Spacestation, who’ve signed rosters to compete in NA and EMEA respectively, have each picked up teams featuring stars and coaches who spent time in the league.

These two organizations are not the only ones to make moves in OW2 this month, either. Team Falcons recently entered the Korean scene by signing a star-studded roster stacked with impressive former OWL talents, and OverActive Media became the first former franchise owners to rejoin the scene after resurrecting the Toronto Defiant.

When reached for comment, M80 boss Marco Mereu told Dot Esports that the organization wanted to make “a low-risk bet on a good esport with still strong viewership.” When asked what “low-risk” meant, Mereu said the “cost of fielding a good team is reasonable this year given it’s a fresh start.” When looking at OW2 long-term, Mereu said the deciding factor in the hero shooter and its esport scene’s success will be the amount of Blizzard support it receives, such as team skins for teams that reach OWCS Majors.

There’s no shortage of free-agent teams and unsigned rosters for other interested orgs, though some may be waiting until after open qualifiers before opting to scoop up teams. Open qualifiers in NA and EMEA officially begin on March 8.