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While rumors claim Overwatch 2 won't launch until 2023, sources now suggest that the Overwatch League (OWL) may delay the start of Season 5 until fall 2022. Since its release in 2016, Overwatch has maintained a sizable playerbase, and the game's esports scene has been running equally strong since the OWL was established in 2018. However, it hasn't all been smooth sailing for the past year-and-a-half.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused Overwatch League matches to be cancelled in early 2020, but the esport's third season was still able to be finished digitally. Season 3 ran from February to August 2020, with a digital Grand Finals event being held in October. Maintaining the digital format used throughout 2020, OWL Season 4 began in April 2021 and is set to conclude on August 21. Like other competitive pursuits, esports for major games often have multiple leagues, and Overwatch is no different. Aspiring OWL competitors play in the Overwatch Contenders league, and Blizzard was criticized for an Overwatch ruling made during a July Overwatch Contenders match, during which it forced a game to continue despite one team being down a player.
Multiple sources within the Overwatch League suggest that Season 5 may be pushed back until late 2022, according to GGRecon. While seasons usually begin in the first half of the year, the next season may not begin until the middle of fall 2022. However, OWL Vice President Jon Spector has responded directly to this report via Twitter. Spector argues that GGRecon's story is inaccurate, and affirms that the League does not intend to take a "year-long hiatus." In response, GGRecon has doubled down on the claim, stating that numerous sources have come forward with reports of OWL Season 5's delay.
The potential postponement of OWL's next season could be linked to Overwatch 2's widely reported delay. The upcoming sequel to the original Overwatch promises to be a major evolution for the hero-based shooter, boasting redesigned characters, additional maps and game modes, and a new 5v5 format. Currently, rumors suggest that Overwatch 2 will not release in 2021 or 2022. If that's the case, though, it would likely make more sense for OWL Overwatch games to continue while waiting to move league play to the sequel.
Overwatch League is a staple of the current esports community, with numerous teams and sponsors granting the league legitimacy. Viewers around the world tune in to watch professionals compete in Overwatch, so a year-long delay of the next season would surely be a disappointment to many. While the prospect of Overwatch 2 esports is no doubt exciting, delaying the start of Season 5 to the game's launch doesn't sound very feasible for OWL.
Source: GGRecon