It has been three years since the last event, and finally, Blizzard announced that the Overwatch World Cup is returning in 2023.
For its long-awaited return, Blizzard promises that its global esports event will feature a much bigger scale, complete with a revamped format.
Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect:
The World Cup starts in January with the first stage. There, the 36 countries and regions that are competing in the event will be revealed. Committee applications will also open during that month. The committee for each country/region is the one that will organize tryouts to field the best Overwatch players in their respective areas.
In February, the new World Cup Tour Trials will take place, and it’s a new way for players to compete for a World Cup team spot. During this trial, an open tournament will take place, with the winning players getting a direct spot for respective tryouts for their country’s team.
Of course, the regular tryouts will still take place in March, though a a Competitive Rank requirement of Diamond and above is required. This means interested players will have to do their best to rank up. Though all players will get some challenges and rewards to mark the World Cup’s return.
The tourney proper then begins in June when the rosters are finalized. During this month, Overwatch World Cup qualifiers will take place through a regional online competition. Here, the 36 teams will be narrowed down to 16. These teams will then advance to the LAN phase that’s scheduled in Fall 2023.
For more info on the next Overwatch World Cup, visit the official website.