Activision Blizzard leaves ‘Overwatch’ League in the lurch after layoffs

The future of the Overwatch League has been left in the hands of team owners, as Activision Blizzard made major changes to its esports department in the second quarter of this fiscal year.

In its latest earnings report, Activision Blizzard explained that an “updated operating agreement” will be offered to Overwatch League teams at the end of this current season.

“If the teams do not vote to continue under an updated operating agreement, a termination fee of $6million (£4.65million) will be payable to each participating team entity (total fee of approximately $114million (£88.4million),” read the statement.

It also sacked around 50 esports employees, and according to The Verge‘s report, these moves to transform the Overwatch League make a lot of sense. Approximately $400 million in franchise fees from professional Overwatch and Call of Duty leagues is owed to Activision Blizzard as a result of the pandemic.

Moreover, the dissolution of Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase‘s partnership to support its games in China took titles like Overwatch and Hearthstone offline. Chengdu Hunters then quit the Overwatch League, leaving a large hole in the roster thanks to their immense popularity.

Overwatch League commissioner Sean Miller said that there will be a “revitalised global scene” for the Overwatch League in 2024, regardless of whether or not the teams stick by its side. “We are doing all we can to make the player experience and the fan experience one that people want to return to, want to be a part of, and get excited about to turn on,” he explained.

An anonymous ex-employee who was affected by the recent layoffs said this was a “complete shock to everyone,” however. “I can’t really fathom what the benefit is to lay people off when your company is posting record profits and your stock price is quite literally capping out with a looming acquisition,” they justified.

In other gaming news, voice actor Victoria Atkin expressed her worries over the proliferation of artificially generated voices for unofficial gaming mods.