Overwatch League Playoffs Kick Off With a Bang

The Overwatch League playoffs have started, and the action is already tense as the top teams from the league battle it out to decide which team is the best in the world right now. The quarterfinals have already begun, though they aren’t finished just yet, so let’s take a look at how they opened, and the tone they’ve set for the rest of the series.

Philadelphia Fusion vs Boston Uprising.

The first quarterfinal match to take place is between the Philly Fusion and the Boston Uprising, a showdown of two teams of roughly equal skill fighting to show that they deserve a shot at the stronger teams. The first map, Dorado, showcased a very definitive win for Philadelphia, as they easily claimed victory while holding Boston back at all stages. The second map, Oasis, turned the tables on this series as Boston picked up the win after three rounds to level out the score. The third map, Eichenwalde, was a much closer match going into overtime for both teams, though the Fusion came out with the win in the end. The final map, Volskaya Industries, sealed the deal in this first series for Philadelphia as they claimed overall series victory 3-1.

London Spitfire vs Los Angeles Gladiators.

The second quarterfinal match was much less competitive, but no less intense, as the Gladiators cruised to a relatively easy series win. The first map, Junkertown, saw Los Angeles easily eclipse their opponents as they finished out their attack with plenty of time to spare. The second map, Lijiang Tower, was a closer contest, but still landed in the hands of the Gladiators as they claimed victory in three rounds. The third and final map, King’s Row, saw Los Angeles pull off a ridiculous opening attack to gain an advantage that left London off-kilter for the rest of the map, leading to the eventual LA win.

The first two series are complete in what is overall a larger series between these teams. All four teams will get the opportunity to play again, with the quarterfinals themselves consisting of a best of three series, with the individual series being best of fives. While the potential was there for up to fifteen games to be played between these teams, that seems unlikely to happen at this stage. You can catch the rest of the Philadelphia v. Boston series when it kicks off at 5pm PT on Friday the 13^th of July, and the London v. Los Angeles match at 1pm PT on Saturday the 14^th of July. All the action will be broadcast on the official Twitch channel of the Overwatch League, here. For more news on the Overwatch League, check out the recent developments regarding the broadcasting rights to the Overwatch League, here.