With the upcoming Overwatch League, Blizzard is set for an all-out marketing blast as it puts up plenty of merchandise related to the league. While the strategy is similar to any professional sports league, Blizzard will offer both virtual and real-world versions of various teams' uniforms.
Blizzard announced that starting early next year, players will be able to purchase home game uniforms of the league's teams. These uniforms, or skins, will be available for all of the game's 26 characters. Players will be able to equip the skins on their characters as a way to show their support to their favorite teams.
Purchasing league-related skins will allow fans to support their favorite teams, as a portion of the proceeds will go to the team. With this thought, Overwatch will also introduce a new in-game currency called league tokens, which can be used solely to buy Overwatch League merchandise. The addition of this new currency will allow Blizzard to ensure that profits from team-related purchases are properly split between the company and the league's teams.
The company has also released real-world apparel bearing the names and logos of the teams in Overwatch League. The items include new era caps, t-shirts, and jackets. Fans who want to support their favorite teams while wearing the team's uniform can head to the Blizzard Gear Store to purchase the items.
The Overwatch League will begin its very first season in January. The League is comprised of 12 teams representing cities in the United States, South Korea, China and the United Kingdom. With the league, Blizzard hopes to combine the world of e-sports and traditional sports.
The league features some big-name team owners from professional sports trying their hand at running e-sports teams. Blizzard also decided to tie the teams to cities to mimic the structure of traditional sports. This structure can also help the league attract more fans who are loyal to their hometowns.
