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Blizzard will hold an Overwatch 2 match for underrepresented genders beginning in late October.

Registration for the Overwatch 2 Challengers Cup is open to any underrepresented genders as determined by Blizzard by way of a verification system. Within the weblog put up, Blizzard particularly notes that the match is open however not restricted to “transgender, non-binary, genderfluid,” and girls members.

To register, you must be a part of the Discord server after which fill out a kind that requires you to submit your title, Battle.internet account, Discord account, social media hyperlinks, and a photograph of your self to finish it. “One’s look and gender expression has no contingency in your utility, and this step is to solely assign a person to your utility,” the shape reads.

The Challengers Cup would not instantly tie into Blizzard’s ‘Path to Professional’ hierarchy of esports leagues that construct as much as the Overwatch League. However Blizzard stated “we hope it should function an entry level for underrepresented genders to leap into the broader Overwatch esports ecosystem, and we encourage all who’re eligible to take part in each Challengers Cup and Path to Professional.”

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Overwatch League presently has no gamers who publicly establish as a marginalized gender competing in it. Its first and solely girl participant, Se-yeon “Geguri” Kim, performed for the Shanghai Dragons earlier than quitting in 2020.

The brand new match is capped at 128 groups and can use the Swiss-system format. The primary qualifier begins on October 21, the second on November 18, and the finals will begin on an unannounced date in December.

Blizzard has partnered with Raidiant, a manufacturing firm and web site that focuses on together with and celebrating ladies in esports, to host the match. The weblog put up would not explicitly point out whether or not or not the match will likely be streamed, however, like different official tournaments, it appears doubtless.

Blizzard may even host a Caster Camp for underrepresented teams to learn to commentate over Overwatch video games from Overwatch League casters: together with Soe Gschwind and Matt “Mr. X” Morello. You may apply to hitch Caster Camp earlier than it begins in November.