One other gunslinger is leaving city within the type of the Houston Outlaws formally exiting the Overwatch League as we speak whereas shifting all the focus of the model to content material and away from esports—in the meanwhile.
Whereas nonetheless based mostly in Houston, the group has rebranded simply to the identify Outlaws and is solely targeted on “content material and leisure” in the meanwhile, based on a mock press convention announcement video posted as we speak. Within the announcement, the group’s new content material creator core was launched by managers Choi “Junkbuck” Jae-won and Hyung-seok “Bischu” Kim.
Along with confirming the workforce’s exit from the Overwatch League, the remaining members of the Outlaws’ Overwatch division stated they’re “not ruling something out but” with regards to competing in different esports. The Outlaws launched its total participant roster final month, only a week faraway from the workforce’s grand finals loss to the Florida Mayhem in what virtually definitely would be the last Overwatch League playoffs.
However a number of longtime followers weren’t proud of the announcement, most notably in that the Outlaws didn’t signal or retain any Overwatch gamers or creators. Outlaws put out a tweet after the announcement saying it will discover “extra Overwatch 2 content material together with VALORANT, [Call of Duty], and Fortnite” based mostly on neighborhood survey responses.
With its departure, the Outlaws turns into the third franchise to depart the Overwatch League this yr alongside the Chengdu Hunters and Toronto Defiant, and the second to take action by way of the postseason proprietor’s vote together with the Toronto possession group OverActive Media. The Outlaws franchise was acquired in 2019 by Beasley Broadcast Group after it and OpTic Gaming have been acquired by Immortals Gaming Membership, house owners of the L.A. Valiant.
Whereas a overwhelming majority of Overwatch League franchises nonetheless haven’t introduced their future plans, league officers have confirmed the demise of the league, not too long ago telling GGRecon that it’s “transitioning from the Overwatch League and evolving aggressive Overwatch in a brand new path.”