Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) tries to get on board the growing popularity of Blizzard’s “Overwatch” by hosting a tournament which will have a prize pool worth roughly $300,000.
The “Overwatch” tournament was made possible through the collaborative efforts of TBS and Facelt, an eSports community platform. Teams from North America and Europe are expected for the tournament, something that kicked off last weekend.
Online rounds will run up to late August with eight slots up for grabs. The “Overwatch” tournament finals is set for Sept. 30 where the final two teams will face off at the TBS Eleague arena in Atlanta Georgia. The Grand Final will be broadcast live on TBS and Twitch.
$100,000 Grand Prize
Of the $300,000 pot, the eventual winner will take home $100,000 while $32,000 goes to the runner-up. The balance from the budget will be divided among the other finalists, E-League.com reported.
“ELEAGUE serves as the perfect stage for the evolution of the eSports industry and we are thrilled to expand our platform with Blizzard’s Overwatch,” said Karen Brodkin, President of Business Affairs, WME-IMG. “We look forward to capitalizing on the momentum from season one of ELEAGUE with another compelling event featuring one of the most exciting new games in eSports.”
“Overwatch” joining elite eSport tournaments
“Overwatch” joins a growing list of other games which have hosted similar gaming tournaments. Notable are “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” (TBS) and “Street Fighter V on ESPN”.
But what makes “Overwatch” stand out it is that this is a game that is technically a newbie. “Counter Strike: Global Offensive” and “Street Fighter V” have been around for quite some time and their following stemmed from its many years of existence.
Support character invades the PS4
Aside from the “Overwatch” tournament, a support character quietly made her way to the PS4 platform – “Ana”. She was originally spotted on the PC version and is currently getting certification for the Xbox One.
“Ana” may be a support character but she can come in handy. Game Spot notes that she heals her allies and help out in fending off enemies through her “Biotic Rifle” and “Grenade”.
Among the other things that “Ana” brings include a “Sleep Dart” and a “Nano Boost” to enhance teammate performance.
