The Overwatch League has been aiming to function as more of a traditional sports outfit than many other eSport enterprises.
This includes a transfer window, something that English Premier League fans will know about all too well.
This starts today with free agent players and will expand to Overwatch League stars being able to switch teams very soon.
All 12 Overwatch League teams are now able to sign free agent players and will be able to make trades with other teams beginning February 11, 2018.
Blizzard’s transfer window will close on April 3, just before the start of Stage 3, and its unclear just how many Team trades might happen.
Teams can add any player not currently signed to an Overwatch League player contract, meaning those from Contenders, Academy, and Open Divisions.
Players must be 18 years old by April 5 and meet US visa requirements to be eligible for Season 1 play.
However, while these new transfers can be made today, there is a time restraint on when they can jump in and start hitting the payload.
The earliest any new player will be eligible to compete in the Overwatch League is February 21, and all potential signings are subject to approval by the Overwatch League office.
It should also be noted that Overwatch League Teams are not allowed to exceed their roster limit of 12 players at any time.
So for teams at the top of the current standing, it probably means a lot less action is about to go down.
Other teams are expected to be more busy, with Florida Mayhem also looking to bulk-up their squad numbers.
It will also be interesting to see how new changes to the game will change the way Overwatch League teams go about winning, especially with new Mercy tweaks being released soon.
“We are happy with our core, but we’d like to add some depth in multiple positions, both as insurance for when a player gets ill and to create some healthy competition,” said Mayhem head coach Vytis “Mineral” Lasaitis.
“Everyone is also anticipating a pretty drastic meta shift going into Stage 2, with [changes to] Mercy.
“It’s important for us to stay ahead of the curve and ensure that we’re optimally equipped to play any composition imaginable, without having to dilute Hero pools of the players we already have.”
For other teams, like the Shanghai Dragons, the free-agent signing period also looks set to include new blood being added to the team.
“We have been assessing candidates globally in a meticulous manner, according to the management team’s roster-strengthening plan for the transfer window,” team manager Yang Van said.
“We are making good progress on contract negotiations, and further news will be shared as soon as possible.”