Overwatch League teams will play some games in their home arenas for the 2019 season, Blizzard announced during an Overwatch League preview show that aired on Dec. 5.
There aren’t many details just yet regarding the schedule. The majority of the Overwatch League’s matches will be played at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, with some road matches thrown in throughout the season to test out the city-based structure.
“We’re going to play a handful of matches in a few home cities this year,” Overwatch League commissioner Nate Nanzer said. The Overwatch League is expected to be fully city-based in 2020. Nanzer said the league will have more information to share about the road schedule next week.
Other schedule changes include a decrease of matches, down from 40 to 28 per team. Nanzer also said the Blizzard team will try patch Overwatch during Overwatch League breaks so that the league’s on the same patch as the live game—nothing can be guaranteed, however, Nanzer stressed.
Start times are being adjusted in the 2019 season, too: on Thursday and Friday, games will start at 6pm CT, 7:30pm CT, 9pm CT, and 11:30pm CT. Saturday and Sunday games will begin at 2pm CT, 3:30pm CT, 5pm CT, and 6:30pm CT.
The Overwatch League’s All-Star weekend will also be pushed up between stage two, as announced in October.
A grand finals re-match will be held as the Overwatch League’s 2019 season opener. The match will begin at 6pm CT on Feb. 14. Both teams have made adjustments in the league’s off-season, but each roster has kept a core basis of players for 2019.
Boston Uprising vs. New York Excelsior will follow on day one at 7:30pm CT. Los Angeles Gladiators vs. Seoul Dynasty will be held at 9pm CT, followed by Hangzhou Spark vs. Shanghai Dragons at 10pm CT. On Feb. 15, Toronto Defiant will take on Houston Outlaws at 6pm CT, followed by Atlanta Reign, Florida Mayhem, Dallas Duel vs. San Francisco Shock, and Guangzhou Charge vs. Chengdu Hunters.
The Overwatch League’s opening week continues on Feb. 16 with Paris Eternal vs. London Spitfire at 2pm CT. New York Excelsior vs. Washington Justice, Hangzhou Spark vs. Los Angeles Valiant, and Shanghai Dragons vs. Vancouver Titans round out Saturday’s matches. Feb. 17’s matches start off at 2pm CT with Houston Outlaws vs. Boston Uprising, followed by Philadelphia Fusion vs. Atlanta Reign, Los Angeles Gladiators vs. San Francisco Shock, and Seoul Dynasty vs. Dallas Fuel.
Tickets will go on sale Dec. 12.
