Apart from issues with Mercy's Res, the Overwatch World Cup also showcased how strong and versatile the current tanking meta is. We already know that Reinhardt and Zarya have made a huge comeback, and that Winston and D.Va are still top tier, but Orisa and Roadhog crawled out from obscurity at BlizzCon in a big way.

Of Overwatch's iconic heroes, Mercy is probably the most recognizable. Though she may be celebrated by general Overwatch fandom, she presents some real problems for Overwatch esports. Simply put, it isn't fun watching a high-skill pickoff flushed down the toilet by her Resurrection ability. Many spectators already have a difficult time following the action and appreciating professional Overwatch.

This past weekend, the top eight teams in the 2017 Overwatch World Cup battled for national bragging rights at BlizzCon. Through all this, the community persevered and brought us the Overwatch World Cup. Of the teams playing in the final round, France and Canada's stories were most compelling, full of the grit and determination that best encompass the heart of the esports world.

On November 1st, Valve unleashed The Dueling Fates patch on the Dota 2 community. It was a hefty rework that changed everything: Map layout, items, towers, and much more. Two new heroes were introduced as well in Pangolier and Dark Willow, a carry and support, respectively. Though it may take some time for a new meta to fully develop at the pro level, eight teams will be put to the test at Blood in the Streets (BITS) Americas, one of the first tournaments to be played on the new patch.

It was the middle of a Monday afternoon when Marco Cuesta, co-founder of the blockchain esports platform FirstBlood, gave me a call. But whether or not blockchain technology and cryptocurrency will really help usher in this new era is not so clear. Blockchain is basically a decentralized network that's powered by peer-to-peer communications and transactions.

With Overwatch League right around the corner, professional Overwatch still has a lot to prove to the esports world. But for the teams and players who stuck it out to this point, the action has been anything but slow. For North America and Europe, the Overwatch Contenders grand finals recently took place at the new Blizzard Arena in Burbank, California, on the seventh and eighth of October.

Last year, ESL One in New York gave fans one of the most intense tournaments of the year with the introduction of the "Brooklyn Beatdown," a Street Fighter V addition to the event. When the dust settled, it came down to a grand finals match between Zhuojun "Xiao Hai" Zeng's Cammy, and Yusuke "Momochi" Momochi's Ken, with Xiao Hai edging out a victory in the final round of the last set.

Professional gaming is a pretty huge deal these days. Big contracts are getting signed (Overwatch pro Sinatraa, pictured, is now earning a salary of $150k with NRG), old and new money are investing in esports, and hundreds of thousands of fans are watching live streams of big events from home. Let’s not forget the production value of live events, either.

When it comes to variety, Overwatch certainly isn’t lacking. You have several heroes to choose from in every class, and any composition can work if the lines of communication are open. One interesting development that we’ve seen at the pro level over the last couple of months is the inclusion of Sombra in a support role.

By now, you’ve heard about the massive overhaul that’s on deck for Mercy. With a new solo-target, “E skill” Resurrect and new ultimate ability, Mercy looks like a completely different character on paper. While some have welcomed the changes with open arms, others have been left asking, “Why?”. The problems that Mercy suffered from made her an issue in competitive queue all the way up the ladder.

Streaming and esports have been intertwined through their history. As the esports industry evolves to more resemble traditional sports, companies are starting to invest in exclusive streaming partnerships. These days, it’s becoming common to see certain e

Last weekend, the final round of qualifiers for the Overwatch World Cup took place in Santa Monica, California. The USA and and the UK both won spots at the Blizzcon finals in the end, though Germany and Taiwan had good runs as well. From highlights to meta discussions, let’s take a look at what happened on location in Santa Monica.

As predicted, the Katowice leg of the Overwatch World Cup was the most exciting yet. South Korea, Canada and Russia dominated the competition last weekend, August 4 through 6, leaving most of the other teams without a single map win. Once it was all over, the two teams advancing to Blizzcon would be South Korea and Canada, much like everyone thought.

If there’s one thing gamers have scoffed at for years, it’s the idea that mobile gaming is a serious industry for serious gamers. The preferred platform of receptionists and mallrats hasn’t yielded the deep, complex experiences that hardcore gamers expect when it comes to their gaming content. That doesn’t mean the mobile industry isn’t growing, however.

The history of professional Overwatch has been tumultuous. With highs reaching the clouds and lows reaching cavernous valleys, players and consumers have had a lot of concerns over the last year. Perhaps one of the most encompassing issues has been the turnstile many endemic organizations have been going through in regards to fielding Overwatch rosters.