We take a look at the week ahead in esports and the highlight events for July 22–28, with Overwatch taking the focus of the esports world.

Esports World Cup will boast US$60 million prize pool
The Esports World Cup, set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will boast a staggering $60 million prize pool.

Blizzard announces new Overwatch 2 esports series for 2024
Blizzard has joined forces with esports tournament operator ESL FACEIT Group to establish the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS).

Activision Blizzard subject to yet another sexual harassment lawsuit
The Los Angeles Superior Court has filed a new sexual harassment lawsuit against Overwatch 2 developer Activision Blizzard. The recent case is in addition to the ongoing lawsuit the game developer is embroiled in against the state of California.

Overwatch 2’s lead hero designer quits Blizzard
?Geoff Goodman, the lead hero designer on Overwatch 2, has parted ways with Blizzard Entertainment two weeks before the game’s release.

Overwatch 2 to be released on October 4
The long-anticipated sequel to Overwatch will be released later this year, as revealed by Activision Blizzard.

Overwatch Pride Celebration to commence next month with $250,000 prize money
Overwatch has planned a charity event next month to benefit the LGBTQIA+ community, and the game will be co-hosted by Twitch Rivals.

Overwatch 2 Beta streaming hits over 1 million viewers, breaking game viewership record on Twitch
On April 26, 2022, the Overwatch 2 beta commenced, and not long after it began, Blizzard’s new team-based (FPS) first-person shooter broke the game’s initial iteration viewership record on Twitch.

Overwatch 2 beta available from April 27
Blizzard Entertainment, the makers of the Overwatch series, have announced that the Overwatch 2 beta access will be live on April 27.

Overwatch League introduces co-streaming ahead of its 2022 season
The 2022 Overwatch season (season 5) is drawing closer, and the league has announced a rather interesting feature, co-streaming, aimed at improving inclusivity for fans.