The Overwatch Premier Series 2017 Spring Season has brought together 10 of the best Chinese Overwatch teams to compete for a share of the 730,000 CNY prize pool at the YUN SPACE Baoshan venue in Shanghai.
The event is currently in the middle of their seven week round robin Group Stage with the aim to determine the playoff seedings. Eight teams will advance from the Group Stage after playing best-of-three matches, with the Playoffs a single elimination best-of-five affair and the Grand Finals an epic best-of-seven.
This tournament is one of the first Overwatch events run by Blizzard, with the Southern California game publisher working with Banana Gaming and Media. There’s very much the belief that this event is being used as a test case for Blizzard to evaluate their hosting skills for the Overwatch League that is expected to debut later in 2017.
Four teams emerge in the early going
Through the first three weeks of the tournament, the majority of the teams have played four games, with four squads having battled only three times (Miraculous Youngster, 1246, Lucky Future and JHG.Gold).
Even though we are still in the early stages of the competition, a few teams have jumped out to take the lead, with LGD Gaming, FTD Club, iG.Ice and Oh My God currently occupying the first four places in the standings.
LGD are a completely rebuilt team having replaced their roster after failing to make it out of the Group Stage at the APAC Premier 2016 – Chinese Main Qualifier at the end of last year. Currently the only undefeated side left in the competition, LGD have a 4-0 record and have won 8 of 10 maps in the tournament so far. LGD Gaming have also had one of the toughest early schedules, having to take on the third through sixth place squads. This didn’t faze them though as they defeated iG.Ice, Oh My God, Miraculous Youngster and 1246 pretty comfortably. Consequently, they are favourites to win the event outright.
LGD dominate
LGD Gaming picked up their biggest win of the season by dominating the previously undefeated Oh My God 2-0 on Sunday. The opening map was Dorado, an escort map, where LGD Gaming were only able to take one of the three control points for the payload. However, this was enough for the top team in China, with LGD Gaming full holding Dorado to deny Oh My God and take the first map 1-0.
Next up was a trip to Hanamura, an assault style map, where once again LGD Gaming’s defensive ability shone through. The second point of the two on Hanamura is notoriously hard to take and LGD Gaming were able to restrict Oh My God to just the first point during the latter’s offense half. LGD Gaming on the other hand were able to assault both points successfully to take the map 2-1 and thus the series in dominant fashion.
The only other leading squad that LGD Gaming have yet to face is FTD Club, the second placed team who could not get the better of Oh My God in the opening week of the Group Stage. LGD Gaming will not take on FTD Club until the final week of the season in Week 7. That has the potential to be a preview of the Grand Finals although there is a lot of gaming still to play, and it should be noted that FTD Club have yet to face a number of top sides.
Five teams have a winning record
LGD Gaming sit atop the standings with 12 points, with three teams behind them all on nine. The tiebreaker is based on map score, with FTD Club in second having only dropped two maps this season, both to Oh My God. iG.Ice and Oh My God are third and fourth respectively, with Miraculous Youngster the only other team with a winning record although they have played one game fewer than those above them.
Since that opening week loss FTD Club have not dropped a map in two weeks. However it should be noted that FTD Club’s subsequent victories have been over the seventh, ninth and 10th ranked clubs at present.
Week 4 sees third place iG.Ice take on Miraculous Youngster while LGD, FTD and OMG appear to have relatively easy match-ups against Lucky Future, 1246 and JHG.Gold respectively. Should early form hold, clear favourites will have been established for the top playoff seedings by the end of next weekend.
China an unknown from a World Rankings standpoint
South Korea, Europe and North America remain in the top tiers when it comes to Overwatch. However, China has usually been extremely strong in high level eSports, with the Chinese only previously struggling in CS:GO, a game not widely played in the region.
Comparison is difficult though as there has been little cross regional play besides Korea’s APEX League, which invited top Western Overwatch squads to participate. Consequently, it will be curious to see how Blizzard intends to expand the title. For now though it will be intriguing to see how Overwatch in China develops with the Premier Series.
