The esports industry has grown fast. Competitive video games are no longer only about playing at home. Large tournaments can bring players, fans, teams, sponsors as well as event organizers together in one place. This has also created a link between esports and tourism.
One such game is Blizzard’s first-person hero shooter, Overwatch. After the lukewarm reception to the official sequel in 2023, the developers worked on updates and changes to improve the game for players and professional esports athletes.
A recent Halloween-themed Overwatch 2 update brought in 15% of the game’s daily player base two weeks after the update dropped. The update was a small balance patch and a seasonal game mode. Catering to player demand helps the Overwatch esports scene, which is part of the esports tourism.
This matters because esports is becoming a larger entertainment market. According to the Coherent Market Insights (CMI), the global esports market is estimated to be valued at USD 4.24 Billion in 2026 and is expected to reach USD 16.47 Billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 21.4%.
A few trends are helping this growth. One is the rise of live streaming, which makes tournaments easy to watch from almost anywhere. Another is the increase in sponsorships and prize money, giving teams and players more financial support. A third trend is the growth of live esports events. Fans who want to watch their favorite teams in person may travel to another city or country, creating opportunities for esports tourism.
Riding the momentum of Overwatch 2, Blizzard’s rebranded esports scene can create opportunities for local communities, players and viewers. In this post we’ll take a look at the Overwatch esports scene and how it’s helped the game expand globally through esports tourism:
Overwatch and esports
A huge part of Overwatch's player base is avid fans of the game's esports scene. At the peak of the original Overwatch game's popularity, the title's esports scene was often compared to that of Counter-Strike's due to the two games being in the first-person shooter genre.
Overwatch’s esports community also grew as the wider esports market grew. CMI divides the esports market by revenue source into sponsorship, advertising, merchandise and tickets, publisher fees, media rights, and other sources. Media rights are expected to be the largest revenue source in 2026, with a 40% share.
This is easy to understand when looking at major tournaments. A large number of fans watch matches through streaming platforms, which makes the broadcast itself valuable. Sponsorships also give brands a way to reach esports audiences.
The market is not limited to one region either. CMI covers North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Within these regions, countries such as the U.S., Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Germany, the U.K., Brazil, and others are included in the market analysis.
Overwatch continues to attract viewers through its esports events. Fans also like attending tournaments in person. This is where esports tourism comes into the picture. A person who travels to watch a tournament may also spend money on hotels, restaurants, transport, shopping as well as other local services.
The growth of live streaming is one of the main reasons esports has reached audiences outside the places where tournaments are held. At the same time, live events give fans something that an online stream cannot fully replace.
Esports enthusiasts also love to bet on events and matches. Overwatch fans like to bet to test their in-game skills and make extra income. Using the reputable crypto betting platform Thunderpick fans can find various Overwatch betting odds across different tournaments. Popular fantasy sports and betting platforms like DraftKings, which offer wagers on a variety of events, are sometimes accessed with a DraftKings VPN by users in regions with restrictions, ensuring secure and uninterrupted play.
This includes matchups between official Overwatch League teams and offseason and third-party events. Beyond conventional betting Thunderpick also offers exclusive platform benefits like First Deposit bonus for new users and Monthly Gift Cards for active and loyal users.
To fans’ surprise, the official Overwatch League stopped just before the release of the sequel in 2023. Blizzard has since announced the League's return and rebrand. Today, the league is known as the Overwatch Champions Series. This paves the way for new initiatives as well as partnerships. Meanwhile, it also helps expand the esports scene to new regions.
Overwatch at the Esports World Cup
Overwatch recently participated in the Esports World Cup. Saudi Arabia hosted the event, bringing together players and fans from different parts of the world.
This was important for Overwatch because the Esports World Cup gave the game another international stage. The event also showed how esports can become connected with tourism. Fans who travel to an event are not only attending a gaming competition. They are also visiting a city, staying in hotels, eating at local restaurants as well as spending money on other activities.
The event also used different language broadcasts, helping fans from different countries follow the competition. This kind of localization can help an esports event reach more people.
Live international events constitute one trend that is very significant to the esports industry. While streaming continues to be one key factor in providing audiences, live competitions generate more revenue through both tickets and merchandise. These are two of the revenue categories covered in the CMI esports market report.
For Overwatch, taking part in a large international event also helps keep the game visible among esports fans. New viewers can discover the game, while existing fans get another reason to follow the teams and players.
Regional expansion of the Overwatch League
In the lead-up to the newly reworked Overwatch Champions Series, Blizzard opened the competitive scene to teams from different regions. The current structure includes competitions across North America, EMEA, Asia, and China. This gives more teams a chance to compete and gives players more ways to enter the professional scene.
Regional competition is useful for esports tourism as well. Fans do not always have to travel to another side of the world to watch a tournament. Local and regional events can attract nearby audiences, while bigger international competitions can bring fans from much farther away.
Asia Pacific is an important part of this growth. As per CMI, Asia Pacific is slated to emerge as the fastest-growing regional esports market during the forecast period. Countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan already have strong gaming and esports communities. Similarly, better internet access and wider use of affordable gaming devices are helping the market grow.
The U.S. is also a major market. North America is expected to account for 38.7% of the global esports market in 2026, with the U.S. playing a major role. This is mostly due to professional esports leagues and tournaments, strong internet infrastructure, major gaming companies as well as growing number of collegiate esports programs. Streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming also give U.S. esports events a large online audience.
For Overwatch, this regional approach can help bring in new players and fans. It also creates more local competitions that can eventually lead to larger international events.
A rebranded Overwatch esports league
Finally, as mentioned above, the Overwatch League has been replaced by the Overwatch Champions Series. The change gives Blizzard a chance to build the competitive scene in a different way.
The new system includes regional competitions, open qualifiers, partner teams as well as international events. This is different from the earlier league model and gives more teams a chance to take part.
The change also fits with the wider direction of the esports market. More tournaments are being streamed online, while major live competitions are being used to bring fans together. Sponsorships, media rights, tickets, merchandise as well as publisher support all play a role in keeping these events running.
Blizzard has also worked with esports organizations to support the new competitive structure. This type of partnership is important because esports is no longer built by game publishers alone. Tournament organizers, streaming platforms, technology companies, sponsors, teams, and venues all have a role.
CMI lists companies such as Activision Blizzard, Amazon, Alphabet, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Intel, Meta, HTC, and NVIDIA among the key players covered in its esports market analysis. These companies are involved in different parts of the industry, including games, technology, streaming, advertising as well as gaming hardware.
For Overwatch, the return of international competitions can help keep the game in front of fans. It can also give cities and event venues another reason to host esports competitions.
The future of the Overwatch World Cup is another question for fans. The last Overwatch World Cup in 2023 took place in Anaheim, California, with a $374,608 prize pool. Whether a similar event returns or not, the growth of esports tourism gives Blizzard and other game publishers more reasons to look at international live events.
Overwatch is only one example, but its story shows how a video game can move beyond online play. A strong esports community can bring people together, create live events, attract sponsors, and give fans a reason to travel.
