In a long post on Reddit, Trevor Housten, head of the department overseeing all Overwatch Esports initiatives outside the Overwatch League, and Dan McHugh, global head of Overwatch Contenders, communicate on the changes to Path to Pro.
The subject covers many points, starting with an assessment of the evolution of the various professionalization programs set up for Overwatch. A new communication, once again demonstrating Blizzard's commitment to getting closer to its player base and recognizing the importance of aspiring professional players.
Although the system isn't perfect and the implementation of new features is complex and time-consuming, points for improvement have been addressed to the community. These include the need to open major tournaments to T3 organisations, to upgrade Contenders and to highlight the main players in Overwatch esports at key moments.
Cast, social networks linked to Path to Pro, OWL, Gauntlet and finally, the difficulty in maintaining T2 and T3 teams and their integration into the professional circuit are all subjects that are being addressed to improve Blizzard's competitive scene. Overwatch esports ecosystem is in the process of changing for 2021.
Despite the significant resources put at its service, Contenders remain below Blizzard's expectations. The year 2020 is rich in talent, and the programs developed for both players and spectators have been well thought out. Special attention could be paid to showcasing T2 scene through high level posters and better commented broadcasts while exploring solutions to provide more complete coverage in the future.
Finally, physical events aren't forgotten, although COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Atlantic and Pacific Showdowns. The Gauntlet would be feasible in physics with all the regions involved in the competition.
The aim seems to be more reactive but above all to integrate players from T3 and T2 stages into Path to Pro, bringing together more effectively the revealed talents from the European, Chinese, Korean and American regions.
The observations made so far aren't alarming. The Open Division has brought together 20 to 30,000 players whose feedback has been collected and implemented. More than 260 players have benefited from Path to Pro between 2018 and 2020 (60 in 2020 for the moment).
The time seems to be proactivity time for Path to Pro and more globally the Overwatch competitive scene with organizers more and more involved in direct communication with players. More information is coming this month about T2 and T3 stage support, Open Division and World Cup.
Patch 1.49 is available in-game with several balances, the addition of a priority queue and the Sinatraa MVP skin.
