Overwatch Champions Series Kicks Off 2026 Season with Pre-Season Bootcamp Tournament

The Overwatch Champions Series launches its 2026 competitive season with the Pre-Season Bootcamp, an invite-only program running February 8-15 in Seoul, South Korea. Twelve elite teams from North America, EMEA, Asia, and China are gathering at T1 Headquarters for intensive training and cross-regional competition on the brand new Overwatch Season 1 patch. The bootcamp will culminate in a live single-elimination tournament from February 13-15 at WDG Studio in Hongdae, providing fans with their first competitive glimpse of the updated meta and roster changes heading into OWCS Stage 1.

Blizzard Entertainment designed the Pre-Season Bootcamp to give participating teams exclusive early access to upcoming content and the competitive build recently revealed at the Overwatch Spotlight event. The structured environment provides daily scrims and collaboration opportunities, allowing teams to test strategies and build synergy before the official season begins. Eleven OWCS Partner Teams earned invitations based on their 2025 performance, while one additional Japanese team received a special invitation to round out the twelve-team bracket.

Notably, bootcamp rosters operate independently from OWCS Stage 1 rosters, giving organizations flexibility to experiment with lineups and evaluate player combinations without commitment. This roster freedom has led to several teams bringing prospect players and testing different role configurations before finalizing their competitive squads. Major organizations like T1, who recently unveiled their 2026 Overwatch roster, are using the bootcamp as a proving ground for new acquisitions and returning veterans.

The tournament matches will be broadcast live on OWCS channels in English, Korean, and Japanese, ensuring global accessibility for Overwatch esports fans. The single-elimination format means every match carries high stakes, with teams unable to afford early mistakes against cross-regional opponents they rarely face during regular season play. Beyond prize money and bragging rights, teams are competing for momentum and confidence heading into OWCS Stage 1, where qualifying for major international events and season championships will be determined.

The Pre-Season Bootcamp represents Blizzard's continued investment in Overwatch esports infrastructure following the restructuring of the competitive ecosystem after the Overwatch League's conclusion. The OWCS format emphasizes regional competition with select international events, making these cross-regional bootcamp opportunities particularly valuable for teams to scout international competition and test themselves against diverse playstyles. Seoul was chosen as the host city due to South Korea's rich esports infrastructure and central location for teams traveling from multiple continents.

As the Overwatch competitive scene evolves in 2026, events like the Pre-Season Bootcamp serve dual purposes: preparing teams for the rigors of OWCS competition while showcasing the game's highest level of play to fans worldwide. The tournament kicks off February 13 with quarterfinal matches, building toward the championship final on February 15. Viewers can expect to see innovative strategies, refined team coordination, and the debut of roster combinations that will shape the OWCS narrative throughout the year.