Overwatch 2’s Saudi esports partnership is another blow for its LGBT community

After Blizzard Entertainment announced the Overwatch Champions Series, the direct replacement for the now-extinct Overwatch League, elation spread across the game’s fanbase. Promises of new beginnings and continued support for Overwatch 2’s diverse community have quickly been squelched, however, after the realization that Blizzard’s new partner in this OWCS endeavor has dubious backing.

To facilitate the OWCS, particularly in the North America and EMEA regions, Blizzard has struck up a partnership with ESL FACEIT, a company that has helped run competitive opportunities in other Blizzard titles. The biggest concern with FACEIT helping with OWCS is that the company is owned by Savvy Games Group, a company that receives funding from the government of Saudi Arabia.