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Overwatch League Playoffs: Rollercoaster Format and Seeding Controversies
In a “surprising” turn of events, the Overwatch League (OWL) has once again left its players and talent in the dark with their decisions. This has led to a wave of confusion and frustration among those directly involved in the league. The absence of clear guidelines and updates has raised questions about the league’s management and its impact on the competitive scene.
This time the Overwatch Playoffs format and seeding are put up for debate, as the new convoluted system confused even league officials.
Credit: London Spitfire
OWL Playoffs Format in Shambles?
Adding to the league’s series of puzzling decisions is the newly introduced Playoffs Format for 2023. The structure has left fans scratching their heads, as it deviates from the traditional double-elimination bracket. The new format has been met with criticism, with some fans calling it “one of the worst brackets ever constructed for competition.”
Two Groups comprised of four teams play double-elimination groups, with the two top teams from each group advancing to a Single Elimination Grand Finals bracket. The top seed from each region draft the teams for the opposite bracket. Teams then draft in the order they were drafted until all teams have been picked.
From the get go, we saw issues with this format. Apart from not having a double elimination bracket, the seeding was all messed up as well. Over in the Asia-Pacific Region, Hangzhou Spark finished the season with a 20W 4L run but ended up in second seed behind Seoul Infernal (16W 10L).
Fans are confused as to why the OWL decided to put the Koreans as first seed, but no clarification came from the League.
Credit: OWL
Based on the draft, many feel a disservice was done to Spark, but also that it’s possible to gerrymander the bracket with the format they decided to run this year.
One of OWL’s meme kings Solomon quickly snapped back at OWL’s official Bracket Post with his own bracket:
Credit: Twitter | @slmnio
OWL 2023 Playoffs are to be played on the controversial Zarya patch, adding another layer of complexity to the competition. Meanwhile, the London Spitfire has thrown a curveball into the Overwatch 2 meta with Reinhardt and Symmetra, defying the Orisa-dominated meta.
OWL Playoffs Pickems are now Live
On a lighter note, OWL’s recent tweet has sparked interest among fans. The league has challenged its followers to predict the perfect playoffs bracket for a chance to win exclusive Symmetra skins. While this adds a fun element to the league, it also serves as a distraction from the ongoing controversies.
You can only get rewards in certain Countries / Regions for your PickEm
Read next: Overwatch 2 Is Now The Worst-Rated Game on Steam
