Overwatch League has seen some of the most drastic changes in the recent years. From being one of the highest-rated esports leagues to a steep decline in its fanbase, OWL has had a turbulent few years. Recently, Chengdu Hunters, announced that they're leaving the League after a long hiatus.
The Chinese franchise was a part of the Overwatch League since Season 02 when OWL first expanded to Asia. According to reports from multiple sources, the roster actually disbanded on May 9th and has been on a long break since April.
Chengdu Hunters & Their Contribution To OWL
The Hunters were on a pretty dominant winning streak with their Most Valuable Player, Huang "Leave" Xin, during Season 04 of OWL. They had achieved quite a lot thanks to their tactical style of play. Later, they secured second place in both the Countdown Cup and the Summer Showdown. As for Season 06, the Chinese brand did not field a roster. After a lot of ups and downs, the team decided to take a step back and leave the Franchise.
China has been in a strange spot with Blizzard as the American Company lost publishing rights in China due to a conflict with NetEase Games. Previously, Toronto Defiant reached an agreement with OWL to eliminate the $20 million entry fee for the league. With the world shifting to online events and the impact to revenue generation for organizations, this was a welcome move. However, this doesn't seem to be enough to keep organization's from China interested.
China has been one of the most heavily affected franchises when it comes to the decline in fanbase. The competitive audience for Overwatch is in a steep decline and shows few signs of improvement. With the Overwatch World Cup Qualifiers right around the corner, fans can hope that it breathes some fresh life into the ecosystem of the popular FPS title.