Last week the Overwatch League released their Season 2 schedule, giving fans a first look at changes to the league’s format. Starting on February 14, Season 2 will feature the league’s 20 teams, including eight expansion franchises, playing 28 games — down from 40 last season. The schedule is still comprised of 20 weeks split across four stages. The expansion of the league also means a new playoff system. Stage playoffs return for Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3, with eight teams competing. The Stage 4 playoffs have been replaced with a play in tournament to determine the final two places in the Season playoffs. The 7th-12th teams in the standings will compete in a single-elimination tournament in an attempt to join the two division winners and four other qualifiers from the regular season.
Among the new teams joining the Overwatch League for Season 2 are the Vancouver Titans. They will be the first team to represent the Pacific Northwest. Earlier this month, the team announced their branding and roster. The Titans will be composed of the former eight man roster of Korean team Runaway along with Kim “Rapel” Jung-geun, the support from Element Mystic. They will look to carry over their success from Overwatch Contenders, where Runaway claimed the most recent Grand Finals. Let’s take a look at five of their biggest match ups over the course of their debut season.
Shanghai Dragons (Stage 1, Week 1)
When the Titans take the Overwatch League stage for the first time, there will be some very familiar faces on the other team. After a disastrous first season, Shanghai has retooled going into Season 2. They picked up four members of the Kongdoo Panthera roster that fell to Runaway in the Contenders Grand Finals in August. That level of familiarity should be a comfort to Vancouver as they take their first steps toward replicating their results from Korea.
The Titans come into Season 2 better prepared for immediate success than any of their expansion peers. There are playoff expectations for this team, and a strong start is essential. With no time to find their footing in a new environment, Vancouver must prove they belong among the best of the best.
Hangzhou Spark (Stage 2, Week 1)
Up next, an early season clash between the two most promising expansion teams. Hangzhou may spend Stage 1 settling on their ideal roster construction, but they will be a force to reckon with as the season progresses. No matter who claims the main tank position — Jeong “NoSmite” Da-un or Xu “guxue” Qiulin — this game will feature a stellar front line battle. Park “Bumper” Sang-beom was in many ways the backbone of Runaway. He played flex tank and main support in different iterations of the team before finally landing on main tank. Bumper has thrived there and looks to keep it up in the Overwatch League. He will have his hands full with either of the Spark’s options.
Los Angeles Gladiators (Stage 3, Week 4)
After a slow start last season, the Gladiators rallied to the playoffs with the acquisition of Baek “Fissure” Chan-hyung. Now Fissure is gone, but Los Angeles is ready to assert itself again. They’ve brought in Gye “rOar” Chang-hoon to replace Fissure, and many are projecting them as favorites to win the Pacific Division. Without doubt, the Titans are capable of reaching that level as well. They’ve gone toe to toe with rOar and LA DPS Jang “Decay” Gui-un since their days in APEX. The teams face off just three weeks prior, so they will have even more recent experience to draw on as well. No matter how the first meeting goes down, the rematch will be must-see Overwatch.
London Spitfire (Stage 4, Week 3)
When the defending champs are on the docket, the game instantly becomes a marquee match up. When season’s end is approaching and playoffs are on the line, it becomes an event. Throw in the fireworks show of a DPS duel between Park “Profit” Jun-young vs Lee “Stitch” Choong-hui, and it becomes a cross between an Overwatch League game and a circus. Both teams should be in the hunt for the top spot in their respective divisions, and neither will be taking this game lightly.
London are everything Vancouver is aspiring to be. The Titans are a legitimate challenger, someone who can threaten the kings of the Overwatch League. This will be a test for both teams, a measuring stick before the playoffs. Unfortunately for Vancouver, the game against London simply kicks off a brutal stretch to close the season. The Philadelphia Fusion and San Francisco Shock await, all leading up to…
New York Excelsior (Stage 4, Week 5)
Perhaps the scariest team to see across the stage as your playoff fate hangs in the balance, New York will play the final gatekeeper for Vancouver’s debut campaign. It will be the crescendo of the season, the cherry on top of 7 months of grinding. Both teams expect to play past their date on August 25, but that could be decided here. At the very least seeding will likely be up for grabs.
More than the standings, the Excelsior represent a final chance for the Titans to test themselves against one of the best in the league. They are the ultimate test for the vaunted Vancouver coaching staff, Hwang “paJion” Ji-sub, Kwon “Yang1” Yang-won and Harsha “Harsha” Bandi. New York dominated the regular season in 2018, in large part due to their preparation and teamplay. They set the bar for excellence. Now the league, Vancouver included, are looking to raise it even higher.
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Featured Image Courtesy of Bleeding Cool
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