AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Peach Belt Conference and commissioner David Brunk are pleased to announce that the league will add a second title to its Esports offerings with its first season of Overwatch this fall. Play will begin Sept. 26 and continue for eight weeks, leading to the PBC Tournament Nov. 21 and 22. All contests, including tournament play, will be conducted remotely in keeping with current health practices. Participating teams and the inaugural schedule will be released by the league office on Friday.
"We are very excited to begin playing Overwatch," said commissioner Brunk. "The popularity of the game among our players and fans is tremendous and we expect to have a highly competitive first season. Our coaches and advisors at our member institutions and associate members have let us know that now is the time to add this second title. Our commitment to Esports is as strong as ever and especially now when we can highlight the unique capabilities of online competition given the current college sports landscape during this pandemic."
Published by Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch is a fast-paced futuristic first-person game featuring two teams of six facing off head-to-head. Taking place on a near-future Earth, players choose a 'hero' character to control, each with their own unique abilities and roles. Matches are played on a variety of maps with different game modes where teams are tasked with defending territory, securing an objective or escorting a payload. Teams must work together, constantly adjusting their strategies based on the map and the characteristics of their selected Heroes.
Launched in 2016, Overwatch as quickly grown into one of the most popular Esports titles in the world with tens of millions of players competing at every level. The professional Overwatch League (OWL) debuted in 2018 and currently sports 20 franchises in Asia, North America and Europe.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner Cup and the 2017 PBC Sportsmanship Institution of the Year, sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at @GCBobcats on Twitter and Facebook for up- to-the- minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.
