A new Overwatch Contenders season gets underway this weekend, and top teams from across Europe will be aiming to kick off their Path to Pro story in style. An expanded program this year includes more competitors, more regions, and more seasons throughout 2018—wherein players will fight for prize money, bragging rights, and the opportunity to be noticed by Overwatch League teams.
The action gets underway from 16:00 CET this Sunday, March 11—be sure to tune in and follow along at twitch.tv/overwatchcontenders.
For details on all the program updates this year, check out our Inside 2018’s Path to Pro blog.
Europe’s Contenders
In Europe, 12 teams will battle it out this season. Six of these booked their places following participation in last year’s Overwatch Contenders season or by purchasing a slot in the competition:
Team Gigantti
Team Gigantti won Contenders in 2017, and it didn’t take long for Overwatch League teams to recruit many of their star performers. The sole returning member from last year’s squad, Tuomo “Davin” Leppänen, will provide valuable insight and experience throughout 2018.
British Hurricane
London Spitfire set out to obtain some of the best up and coming talent in Europe to represent their Contenders team—British Hurricane. With the roster already scoring a tournament victory in the Overwatch PIT Championship earlier this year, expectations are high.
Bazooka Puppiez
Viktors “Forsak3n” Bernevs, Herman “Nesh” Kobrin, and Mihail Cristian “Meza” Păunescu each represented their nations at the Overwatch World Cup. With that kind of experience, they’re sure to feel at home on stage.
Team Singularity
Featuring a full line-up of Danish players, Team Singularity should have some instant chemistry heading into Contenders this season. Add to that some high-level competitive experience—Andreas “Lind” Lindblad Sørensen represented Denmark in the Overwatch World Cup qualifiers—and they’re sure to be a tough opponent.
Eagle Gaming
There’s no shortage of competitive gaming talent on the Eagle Gaming roster. In addition to other high-level Overwatch players from France and Belgium, the squad includes former StarCraft II pro David “Lilbow” Moschetto.
Mosaic Esports
With players from across the continent making up their roster, including Overwatch World Cup Team UK representative Christopher “ChrisTFer” Graham, as well as Contenders Season 0 winner Hendrik-William “Vallutaja” Kinks, don’t underestimate Mosaic Esports.
The remaining six teams—Orgless and Hungry, Angry Titans, CIS Hope, Young and Beautiful, That's a Disband, and Copenhagen Flames —battled through the Open Division, before facing off for their places in some hard-fought Contenders Trials matchups.
Speaking of Contenders Trials, at the close of each upcoming season, the top four Open Division teams from each region will be invited to compete in that region’s Contenders Trials event. In this eight-team promotion-relegation tournament, teams will battle for their share of a 3.200.000 $ prize pool, as well as a spot in the next season of Contenders.
Casting Talent
There are some new faces coming to the caster desk this season!
Host
Hailing from South Africa, Sam “TechGirl” Wright is a passionate esports presenter who loves introducing fans to new talent while having some fun along the way. Her favorite Overwatch character is Orisa—she’s a big fan of her strong abilities and African roots.
Caster
UK-based shoutcaster Derry “Dezachu” Holt has plenty of experience covering competitive gaming events. An explosive start to the Overwatch League has him very excited about what Contenders teams will bring to the table, and he can’t wait to get stuck in.
Streaming
The games will be available in English on our official Twitch channel www.twitch.tv/overwatchcontenders, and in the following languages:- French - https://www.twitch.tv/ogamingoverwatch
- Russian - www.twitch.tv/starladder_ow_ru
For the latest news, details on qualified teams from all regions, and the full match schedule, head over to the brand-new Overwatch Contenders website.