On July 28, teams went on strike to protest an administrative decision over a match, which resulted in the abrupt suspension of the European Overwatch Contenders broadcast.
01 Esports vs Munich Esports
The double-elimination European Overwatch Contenders Summer Series features a winner's bracket and a loser's bracket.
According to The Verge, the victor of the match between Munich Esports and 01 Esports advances to the bracket final. In other words, the outcome of their game would decide which team advanced to the grand final and which team faced the loser's bracket final.
What Went Wrong During the Tournament
A player from Munich Esports contacted a Blizzard tournament administrator to inquire about the match's format, as best of seven games are uncommon for matches other than the grand finals. As shown in a tweet below, he was informed and reassured that the winner's final match would be a best-of-seven series.
Proof https://t.co/2Q7r1SH8bh pic.twitter.com/Ync44PSgBO
— kraandop (@kraandopOW) July 28, 2022
In the tournament's upper finals, a series of games between Munich Esports and 01 Esports officially began as planned. Dot Esports noted that Munich Esports climbed to 3-0 after winning three games in a row.
The game was resumed by the officials as if it were a best-of-seven match, which required four points to be hailed as the winning team. After thereafter, 01 Esports won two more games, edging closer to a reverse sweep of Munich.
However, Dot Esports said that administrators of Overwatch Contenders immediately halted the match with a score of 3-2.
According to Blizzard tournament administrators, a best of five format rather than a best of seven was intended for the game. Munich Esports received the win since they were the first team to complete three maps.
Before the incident, the match was described as a best-of-seven series on the official GameBattles bracket. It has since been changed to reflect that the match is a best-of-five series, Dot Esports reported.
Teams Protested During the Competition
After that, 01 Esports was sent to the losers' bracket. According to The Verge, they collaborated with their new opponents, Ex Oblivione, to essentially strike when they were about to face the other team.
— Ex Oblivione (@ExOblivioneOW) July 28, 2022
As you can see in the video below, the players just stand around and refuse to play the objective of the game.
— Helv (@Helv_OW) July 28, 2022
In order to draw attention to the matter, players and supporters started using the hashtag #ContendersStrike.
What Did Overwatch Contenders Do in Response to the Backlash
#OWSUMMERSERIES pic.twitter.com/Caz9P2ggRM
— Overwatch Path to Pro (@owpathtopro) July 28, 2022
On Twitter, Overwatch Contenders did issue a statement outlining what transpired and what should happen next.
It said that Munich Esports and 01 Esports will be permitted to complete the match as a best-of-seven. Meanwhile, Ex Oblivione and 01 Esports will not be disqualified for their strike.
However, The Verge said that while some players want this result, others believe that the misunderstanding and the ensuing controversy point to a bigger issue with Blizzard's handling of semi-pro Overwatch Esports.
