The 2018 Overwatch League All-Star Game was the Overwatch League's (OWL) first edition of an all-star game that matched the top players in the Atlantic Division (ATL) against those in the Pacific Division (PAC). The game was played on August 26, 2018 at Blizzard Arena in Burbank, California and was the culmination of the league's All-Star Weekend. The Atlantic took the first All-Star title by defeating the Pacific by a score of 4–1. The game was televised by Disney XD and ESPN3 and streamed live on Twitch.
All-Star Game The All-Star Game was a five-map match between players from the Atlantic Division and Pacific Division using standard competitive settings. All 18 players on each team were required to have play-time, and substitutions were allowed between each map change.
Rosters and coaches The rosters and coaches for the All-Star game were selected through a voting process. The starters were chosen by the fans, with voting beginning on June 1 and ending on June 17. Out of the two DPS, two tank, two support, and two flex players in each division with the highest cumulative vote, the top six players with the highest cumulative vote were named their division's All-Star starters. After the starting rosters were announced, an additional 12 players from each division were selected as reserves by Overwatch League players, coaches, casters, and staffers.
The All-Star Game starters were announced on June 22. In the Atlantic Division, four of the six starters were represented by New York Excelsior, and in the Pacific, two of the six starters were represented by Seoul Dynasty. The All-Star reserves were announced on July 10. London Spitfire had the most reserve players in the Atlantic Division, with four out of twelve of the spots, and Los Angeles Valiant lead the Pacific Division with five out of twelve reserve spots.
Atlantic Division All-Stars Handle Name TeamStartersJJonak Bang Seong-hyun New York ExcelsiorSaebyeolbe Park Jong-ryeol New York ExcelsiorPine Kim Do-hyeon New York ExcelsiorArk Hong Yeon-jun New York ExcelsiorCarpe Lee Jae-Hyeok Philadelphia FusionGesture Hong Jae-HuiLondon Spitfire ReservesLibero Kim Hae-seong New York ExcelsiorStriker Gwon Nam-ju Boston UprisingSayaplayer Ha Jeong-woo Florida MayhemBdosin Choi Seung-tae London SpitfireMano Kim Dong-gyu New York ExcelsiorMeko Kim Tae-hong New York ExcelsiorMuma Austin Wilmot Houston OutlawsGamsu Noh Young-jin Boston UprisingFury Kim Jun-ho London SpitfirePoko Gael Gouzerch Philadelphia FusionProfit Park Jun-young London SpitfireUnable to ParticipateBirdring Kim Ji-hyeok London SpitfireNeko Park Se-hyun Boston UprisingHead coach: Yoo “Pavane” Hyeon-sang (New York Excelsior)
Pacific Division All-Stars Handle NameTeamStartersFissure Baek Chan-hyung Seoul DynastyCusta Scott Kennedy Los Angeles ValiantGeguri Kim Se-yeon Shanghai DragonsFleta Kim Byung-sun Seoul DynastyRyujehong Ryu Je-hong Seoul DynastyKariv Park Young-Seo Los Angeles Valiant ReservesArchitect Park Min-ho San Francisco ShockSoon Terence Tarlier Los Angeles ValiantAgilities Brady Girardi Los Angeles ValiantSurefour Lane Roberts Los Angeles GladiatorsBigGoose Benjamin Isohanni Los Angeles GladiatorsSleepy Nikola Andrews San Francisco ShockFate Koo Pan-Seung Los Angeles ValiantOGE Son Min-seok Dallas FuelSpace Indy Halpern Los Angeles ValiantZunba Kim Joon-Hyeok Seoul DynastyMickie Pongphop Rattanasangchod Dallas FuelBischu Aaron Kim Los Angeles GladiatorsUnable to ParticipateSeagull Brandon Larned Dallas FuelHead coach: Moon “Moon” Byung-chul (Los Angeles Valiant)
Replacement Player selection due to injury or vacancy Injured/suspended player; selected but did not participate Retired player; selected but did not participate Promoted to starter due to injury/vacancy Traded to new team before All-Star Game Source: Overwatch League
Game summary
All-Star Weekend The season's All-Star Skill Matches took place on August 25, 2018.
Lúcioball Showdown The Atlantic and Pacific teams competed in a 3v3 best-of-three series using standard Lúcioball settings on the Busan Lúcioball Arena map. Each match lasted five minutes; if a match was tied at the end of five minutes, then a sudden death overtime would begin, and the next goal would win.
Atlantic Division Handle Name TeamArk Hong Yeon-jun New York ExcelsiorMeko Kim Tae-hong New York ExcelsiorPoko Gael Gouzerch Philadelphia Fusion
Pacific Division Handle Name TeamGeguri Kim Se-yeon Shanghai DragonsFate Koo Pan-Seung Los Angeles ValiantFissure Baek Chan-hyung Seoul Dynasty
Mystery Heroes The Atlantic and Pacific teams competed in a 6v6 Mystery Heroes game using standard competitive settings in a best-of-three series on control maps Nepal, Ilios, and Lijiang Tower. Players are assigned a random hero at the start of each map and a new random hero after each non-self-inflicted death.
Atlantic Division Handle Name TeamLibero Kim Hae-seong New York ExcelsiorMano Kim Dong-gyu New York ExcelsiorMuma Austin Wilmot Houston OutlawsGesture Hong Jae-HuiLondon Spitfire Fury Kim Jun-ho London SpitfireBdosin Choi Seung-tae London Spitfire
Pacific Division Handle Name TeamKariv Park Young-Seo Los Angeles ValiantRyujehong Ryu Je-hong Seoul DynastyZunba Kim Joon-Hyeok Seoul DynastyBischu Aaron Kim Los Angeles GladiatorsCusta Scott Kennedy Los Angeles ValiantSpace Indy Halpern Los Angeles Valiant
Widowmaker 1v1 The coaches of the Atlantic and Pacific Divisions selected their four best Widowmaker players for this tournament. The four players competed head-to-head to determine one Atlantic and one Pacific champion, which played each other in the finals. Every match-up prior to the finals was first-to-seven eliminations, while the final was first-to-nine eliminations. Eliminations were head-shot only, and automatic firing was disabled. There were no capture points, but after 30 seconds, player locations were visible to both players. A match would result in a draw after five minutes. The matches were played on Castillo (quarterfinals), Necropolis (semifinals), and Ecopoint: Antartica (final).
Talent Takedown Prior to All-Star Weekend, the Atlantic and Pacific coaches drafted two teams of casters and analysts. The two teams squared off in a 6v6 best-of-three series using standard competitive settings. The match started on Hybrid map King's Row, after which the team that lost the select the second map. If the series were to be tied 1-1, a game of Lúcioball would have been the tiebreaker. Overwatch League players helped call the game along with the casters and analysts not playing.
Atlantic Division Handle NameMalik Malik ForteSideshow Josh WilkinsonGoldenboy Alex MendezMrX Matt MorelloDoA Erik LonnquistUber Mitch LeslieBren Brennon Hook
Pacific Division Handle NameReinforce Jonathan LarssonCrumbz Alberto RengifoSoe Soe Gschwind-PenskiSemmler Auguste MassonnatMonteCristo Christopher MyklesPuckett Chris PuckettHex Robert Kirkbride
Lockout Elimination The Atlantic and Pacific teams squared off in this 6v6 competition using standard lockout elimination settings. The winner was determined in a best-of-three series. The maps for this mode were Oasis University, Necropolis, and Castillo.
Atlantic Division Handle Name TeamSaebyeolbe Park Jong-ryeol New York ExcelsiorProfit Park Jun-young London SpitfireGamsu Noh Young-jin Boston UprisingPoko Gael Gouzerch Philadelphia FusionArk Hong Yeon-jun New York ExcelsiorJJonak Bang Seong-hyun New York Excelsior
Pacific Division Handle Name TeamSleepy Nikola Andrews San Francisco ShockAgilities Brady Girardi Los Angeles ValiantKariv Park Young-Seo Los Angeles ValiantBigGoose Benjamin Isohanni Los Angeles GladiatorsMickie Pongphop Rattanasangchod Dallas FuelOGE Son Min-seok Dallas Fuel
Charity cheer During the All-Star Weekend, 100% of all "Cheers", a special form of emoticon purchased as a microtransaction, on Twitch while watching any of the Overwatch League channels were donated to Child's Play, a charitable organization that donates toys and games to children's hospitals worldwide. At the conclusion of the weekend, viewers raised $34,304.37 for the charity.
Broadcasting The entire All-Star Weekend was televised nationally by ESPN3 and Disney XD and live-streamed on Twitch, the Overwatch League website, and Major League Gaming.
References