[owcs]

Hey just wanted to say sorry for the inactivity here! I’ve had pneumonia since the start of the month and I’m only just now feeling better. Unfortunately Cee was busy during my absence too but the blog will be active again soon since I’m feeling a lot better!

Even though the YouTube has a backlog of unlisted videos from the last day I was recording, it might just be wise to start from games from this week? Otherwise the backlog would be craaaazy and I’d have to go back through so many vods I missed while sick. I do have one super great one that I’ll upload despite it being so old though because it’s just too good to skip but it’s a secret which it was :)

[owcs]

The final player of the match for the opening day of OWCS Asia is qki from team VARREL playing against Namekuji Brothers* on February 26th, 2024 *Namekuji Brothers does not currently have a liquipedia page to link to

[owcs]

The second player of the match on day one of OWCS Asia is ZeSin from team Pandia* who played against Hayabusa Gaming* on February 26th, 2024 *Team Pandia and Hayabusa gaming do not currently have liquipedia pages to link to

[owcs]

We're working backwards to start from the very beginning of the broadcasts in the Asian region, here is the player of the match highlight from Hofac "HoneyFactory" of team REVATI* against Nyam Gaming* on February 26th, 2024 *Team REVATI and Nyam Gaming do not currently have liquipedia pages to link to

[owcs]

Okay my apologies that it won't be until tonight that I can upload the compilation of highlights from Runaway vs Falcon because that game was amazing it's just that youtube won't let me upload anything else. I was queueing up all of the player of the match highlights currently set to unlisted through the week so far but apparently if you're a new channel there's a limit to how much you can upload in a single day :(

[owcs]

I've officially made a cohost for this page, every post I make here will be uploaded there as well for those of you who are slowly leaving tumblr.

[owcs]

For my first clip uploaded here, I figured it would only be right to have it be tracer gameplay. Here are some highlights from Nico of team VARREL against Hayabusa Gaming* from today February 27th, 2024. *Hayabusa Gaming does not have a liquipedia page to link to

[owcs]

OWCS may be dead before it’s off the ground

(x)

This includes Mr. X, Soe, BackpackMatt, and the entire OBS team getting fired.

The tweet from BackpackMatt linked at the bottom of this post says that he will be spilling tea from behind the scenes info. I will keep this blog updated with more as it comes out.

(x)

(x)

(x)

(x)

(x)

[owcs]

@vanphanel you’re correct that Microsoft owns Activision Blizzard & recently laid off 1900 people from Activision Blizzard, Zenimax & their XBOX teams. Actiblizz has yet to make any official statements about these 60 layoffs in particular and I presume they’ll be waiting to make any statements for (former exec) Johanna Faries position as president to officially begin on February 5th if they decide to make any statements at all. I don’t believe this is specifically a decision made by Microsoft (though it likely does make them happy to reduce the number of employees even further.)

It’s all speculation on my part but it makes sense to assume this is happening as part of the deal with FACEIT. It sounded like they’ll have significant managerial power over how Overwatch esports are conducted. I was assuming changes would be made, but not laying off 60 of 72 employees. As it stands now I’m wondering if FACEIT will rehire some of the people fired because despite FACEIT having a positive history with Counterstrike in particular, it’s still brand new to Overwatch like… I really thought if layoffs occurred it’d be after a transitional period where the FACEIT employees have developed familiarity with things as they are now.

If my reasoning is correct and that the cause of the layoffs is the FACEIT partnership, it’d make sense for them to not say anything so that the FACEIT partnership can move forward smoothly. If people point fingers at actiblizz it’s nothing new, just business as usual from Actiblizz. However to have people angry at FACEIT when FACEIT is now responsible for revitalizing competitive Overwatch, it’d make people have a very negative perspective when it’s critical that the community looks at the partnership favorably.

[owcs]

@vanphanel of course! And yeah it’s a shame :(

[owcs]

OWCS may be dead before it’s off the ground

(x)

This includes Mr. X, Soe, BackpackMatt, and the entire OBS team getting fired.

The tweet from BackpackMatt linked at the bottom of this post says that he will be spilling tea from behind the scenes info. I will keep this blog updated with more as it comes out.

(x)

(x)

(x)

(x)

(x)

[owcs]

@vanphanel you’re correct that Microsoft owns Activision Blizzard & recently laid off 1900 people from Activision Blizzard, Zenimax & their XBOX teams. Actiblizz has yet to make any official statements about these 60 layoffs in particular and I presume they’ll be waiting to make any statements for (former exec) Johanna Faries position as president to officially begin on February 5th if they decide to make any statements at all. I don’t believe this is specifically a decision made by Microsoft (though it likely does make them happy to reduce the number of employees even further.)

It’s all speculation on my part but it makes sense to assume this is happening as part of the deal with FACEIT. It sounded like they’ll have significant managerial power over how Overwatch esports are conducted. I was assuming changes would be made, but not laying off 60 of 72 employees. As it stands now I’m wondering if FACEIT will rehire some of the people fired because despite FACEIT having a positive history with Counterstrike in particular, it’s still brand new to Overwatch like… I really thought if layoffs occurred it’d be after a transitional period where the FACEIT employees have developed familiarity with things as they are now.

If my reasoning is correct and that the cause of the layoffs is the FACEIT partnership, it’d make sense for them to not say anything so that the FACEIT partnership can move forward smoothly. If people point fingers at actiblizz it’s nothing new, just business as usual from Actiblizz. However to have people angry at FACEIT when FACEIT is now responsible for revitalizing competitive Overwatch, it’d make people have a very negative perspective when it’s critical that the community looks at the partnership favorably.

[owcs]

OWCS may be dead before it’s off the ground

(x)

This includes Mr. X, Soe, BackpackMatt, and the entire OBS team getting fired.

The tweet from BackpackMatt linked at the bottom of this post says that he will be spilling tea from behind the scenes info. I will keep this blog updated with more as it comes out.

(x)

(x)

(x)

(x)

(x)

[owcs]

Okay I’ve yet to set this blog up properly but Jesus Christ hang on

[ninamodaffari]

five hundred and thirty people laid off from riot. We aren't even one month into 2024.

there is no security in the work within game development. My dad would tell me 'just work hard, be essential and earn your place' but that isn't how it is anymore. You could be the best, most amazing artist, as so many of my friends who were laid off were, and it doesn't matter. They will get rid of you just as easily. I don't even know what to feel anymore, but as someone who had been laid off in the past, I cannot convey how devastating it is to have your life uprooted just like that.

[yusuke-of-valla]

22 Days Into 2024 And 3,800+ Video Game Layoffs Have Been Announced

This year is already looking to be another horrible one for people making games

Zack Zweizen is making an effort to chronicle every industry layoff over at Kotaku and not even a month in we're almost at 4,000 people who have lost or will lose their jobs.

I do reccommend everyone try to keep track of this because it's important to be aware of, and try to support devs where you can

[megafreeman]

A THIRD OF ALL DEVELOPERS in the industry have been laid off

Approximately 9000 devs lost their jobs in 2023

Gamesindustry.biz reports that this is just the beginning, and that the layoffs will most likely continue into 2025

As of 24th January 2024, approximately 13,000 people reportedly lost their jobs in the industry.