Here's what happened at Overwatch League's opening weekend
Overwatch League Season 3 has begun and after two seasons in the Blizzard Arena, pro players are hitting the road.
WIN.gg was in attendance for the New York City Homestand, which featured the New York Excelsior, Paris Eternal, Boston Uprising and London Spitfire. Fans have been anxiously awaiting the start of the third season, to see what the new homestand format would look like.
Most homestands will probably feature similar fan experiences. This includes player meet-and-greets, similar seating arrangements, giveaways during game breaks and, of course, matches with the players right in front of them on-stage.
What does seem to be different is the stage setup, and the particular events that the teams hold.
OWL Season 3’s homestands should give events different looks, feels
Fans of the Dallas Fuel were treated to a screen setup very similar to the Grand Finals, where the players are seen on the screens at all times. This is accompanied by the character they are playing, the status of their ultimates, and effects such as stuns, sleeps, and deaths. Meanwhile, New York had a screen that mimicked what fans saw on the stream at home with, no additional frills.
Dallas also hosted an entire convention-style event that housed matches from high school and collegiate teams which included games outside of Overwatch. It also had a soda station, hammer swinging, player interaction, and Overwatch-themed food selections.
New York’s homestand wasn’t without its charms, though. Fans were greeted with a huge screen upon entrance which featured NYXL graphics and created a great backdrop for photos. They also had player signings and photos, and even a claw machine with prizes inside.
Although an accurate number wasn’t given, NYXL staff estimate 2,500 tickets were sold between the two days, which indicates that New York’s esports scene isn’t going anywhere.
Week 2 will find fans in Philadelphia, but the matches in Shanghai have been cancelled due to the threat of the Coronavirus. There is no word yet on whether those matches will be played.
Read Also
News
Rams vs 49ers Preview — Who Will Win?
Zachary Roberts
The Los Angeles Rams open the season as Super Bowl favorites. Their first test? The division rival San Francisco 49ers. This game obviously has huge implications in what was the strongest division in football last year, sending three teams with 12 wins to the playoffs and hosting both NFC finalists. So, who's going to win? The Rams and 49ers face off tonight in the second game of the NFL season. ...
Twitch
iShowSpeed Livestreams Apple Keynote and Meets New CEO John Ternus
Khizar Mundia
Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. became one of the first non-tech streamers to livestream an Apple event, appearing alongside the company's CEO at the keynote despite initial speculation from fans that he was using a green screen instead of physically being there. Speed has consistently blurred the lines between a streamer and mainstream celebrity in 2026. He collaborated with FIFA on a game and then performed at the World Cup closing ...
Slots
Juice, New B2B iGaming Provider Backed by Stake, Launches at Casinos
Ben Boland
A new B2B iGaming provider has just been launched globally, with Juice going live on September 9. Juice comprises five studios well-known for producing a range of original games for Stake.com. It is releasing a range of over 100 games that can be used by operators all over the world. The five studios behind the new brand comprises Twist Gaming, Knucklehead Syndicate, Monstrums, Massive Studios and The Originals. The entire ...
News
It Looks Like the PlayStation 6 Is Not Coming Out Anytime Soon
Zachary Roberts
The PlayStation 6, much like the Project Helix Xbox, is under development. This much we know, but exactly when the new generation of consoles will arrive is anyone's guess. We know precious few details about the PlayStation 6, including its release date. Kalshi traders, though, have made their opinion known on when the next Sony console will hit the market. Will the PlayStation 6 come out this year? Almost certainly ...
Kick
N3on Claims To Be the World’s First AI Streamer
Khizar Mundia
Controversial content creator Rangesh “N3on” Mutama is facing backlash after announcing that he plans to use AI in his streams going forward, claiming to be the world’s first AI streamer. N3on is no stranger to controversy, but fans thought he was evolving beyond his dramatic reputation with some recent high profile events. In recent weeks he was apparently seen as a GTA character, livestreamed with Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg, and ...
Kick
Kick Users Report Ads Appearing on Non-Monetized Channels; Ethan Wright Responds
Khizar Mundia
Kick recently rolled out ads, but it appears the livestreaming platform is having issues with adverts when a stream crashes. Kick Director Ethan Wright has responded to the issue, acknowledging it and also shedding light on why it happened. Eddie Craven, known for founding both Stake and Kick, went on the record stating that ads were inevitable for the livestreaming platform, but promised they’d be unobtrusive for viewers. Ads went ...
Kick
Kick Creators Allege KPP Cuts, Ethan Wright Responds
Khizar Mundia
Several Kick creators have taken to social media to claim that their KPP payments have been slashed, and Kick Director Ethan Wright has responded amid growing speculation about what is driving the cuts. Livestreaming platform Kick’s biggest factor that contributed substantially to attracting creators was its lucrative 95-5 revenue split. Kick then introduced KPP, where partners would be paid hourly based on their streams, which made the platform even more ...
