The Overwatch League Returns this Weekend

The Overwatch League comes back on air after a two-week hiatus due to coronavirus concerns.

Two weeks after the last official Overwatch League game, the competition resumes this weekend. With 16 games over 2 days, fans should have more than enough action to make up for these past couple of weeks!

The beginning of online streaming for the Overwatch League

On March 28 and March 29, all teams but two will compete. The Philadelphia Fusion and Houston Outlaws are the only ones missing this new week in the Overwatch League. The first game will start at 1 AM Pacific Time and the last one is scheduled at 9 PM Pacific Time. All games will be streamed live on the Overwatch League’s official YouTube channel.

Aching for some #OWL2020 action? Good news — tomorrow @UberShouts and @MattMrX will cast two PTR exhibition matches featuring new hero Echo! 🕊️@SFShock vs @SeoulDynasty at 1 PM Pacific; @LAValiant vs @LAGladiators at 2 PM afterward!

💻 https://t.co/tbTGBrUfiE pic.twitter.com/Iqsxr04hqL

— Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) March 21, 2020

The Overwatch League made its first trial at streaming online matches last weekend. The League hosted two PTR exhibition matches featuring Overwatch Hero 32, Echo. San Francisco Shock faced Seoul Dynasty and Los Angeles Valiant battle their rivals Los Angeles Gladiators in these friendly matches, bringing back some long-waited professional play. This Overwatch League Sunday Funday was a success, with no major technical issue – sign that the Overwatch League could go on online, as the homestands are canceled for now.

A complicated schedule

As the League is already two weeks late on its schedule, organizers are trying to catch up and speed up the planning. The result is a packed schedule, with 8 games per day – 16 games over the weekend.

While the Overwatch League made an effort to match the time for teams playing two days in a row – scheduling both matches either early in the morning or late at night, and not one late and one early – it isn’t so easy for the League’s staff.

Are there gonna be analysts? Crunch time? Are you hosting them all?

— Timothy McGrath (@TimothyMcGrath) March 24, 2020

Analysts, casters, and the entire Overwatch League’s staff will be there from the first game to the last, each day. As games start at 1 AM Pacific Time to end at 9 PM, two days in a row these are going to be long days for the crew. If Soe Gschwind confirmed on Twitter that she will host all games, there is currently no information on who will be on the analysts’ desk. If the casters will be the same all day long it could decrease the quality of comments over the weekend, due to fatigue.

The first match between Guangzhou Charge and Shanghai Dragons begins Saturday, March 28, at 1 AM Pacific Time.