Overwatch Contenders player Phaz reportedly unpaid for Trials

Olivia Richman Published 07/03/2019

Overwatch Contenders player Kyle “Phaz” Dornian announced on Twitter that Blizzard still hasn’t paid him, and others, for Trials playoffs.

According to Phaz, who currently plays for Overwatch team Phase 2, he isn’t alone in his complaints about Blizzard not supporting “tier two” players, those who play Overwatc full-time outside of Blizzard’s Overwatch League. This allegedly includes not paying players on time.

“Trying to play Overwatch full-time without receiving my monthly salary is something I don’t wish on anyone, as it’s terrifying living month to month,” Phaz said.

He went on to say that the uncertainty has caused a lot of stress for his family, since he has medication and bills that he can’t otherwise afford. And he knows there are other Overwatch players in even greater need of their missing prize money.

“I love this game, the community, and Blizzard for making this all possible, but something needed to be said,” Phaz said.

According to Phaz’s revealing rant, Overwatch has been his passion for three years, and he’s even dipped into his savings to support his goal of playing the game full-time.

Phaz also compared his situation to those faced by players in smaller regions who might deal with even greater problems in receiving compensation.

“I can’t imagine how under-developed and under-supported regions live, with it taking five-plus months to get earnings,” he concluded.

While Phaz and his team hail from Canada, players from other regions have complained about even longer stretches without pay. Retired pro Jani “Tseini” Kahkone, who is from Finland, confided over Twitter that he didn’t receive his 2016 World Cup money until December of 2017. Other players chimed in with some saying it took only three months. One pro speculated that the timing may vary by country.

Either way, the long waiting period to get an expected check from Blizzard has been deemed unacceptable to Overwatch Contenders players.

Now on Atlanta Reign’s roster reportedly making at least $50,000 a year, Dusttin “Dogman” Bowerman was once victim to the typical Contenders wait time.

Dogman complained publicly in 2018 about having started a new Contenders Trial competition while still not having been paid for the prior season.

After his remarks went viral, Blizzard reportedly informed Dogman that his former Contenders team would be “receiving the money soon,” but for Dogman it was a little too late.

“There is little to no reason it should take this long,” Dogman said.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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