The first stage of the 2019 Overwatch League season is complete, with the Vancouver Titans defeating the San Francisco Shock four maps to three today at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles. The Vancouver Titans won the first-to-four-wins series and earn a $200,000 bonus. The full Stage 1 prize breakdown – which totals $500,000 – is below:
- FIRST PLACE: Vancouver Titans, $200,000
- SECOND PLACE: San Francisco Shock, $100,000
- 3rd / 4th: $50,000
- Philadelphia Fusion, Seoul Dynasty
- 5th through 8th: $25,000
- Atlanta Reign, Boston Uprising, New York Excelsior, Toronto Defiant
Vancouver Titans player Hyojang “Haksol” Kim (center right) hugs teammate Minsoo “SeoMinSoo” Seo following their victory in the Overwatch League Stage 1 Finals in Los Angeles on March 24. Photo credit: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
The top eight teams from the first five weeks of the 2019 regular season faced off at Blizzard Arena, with quarterfinals matches taking place last Thursday and Friday. Vancouver swept the eighth-seeded Boston Uprising 3-0, while No. 6 San Francisco upset the third-seeded Toronto Defiant 3-0. Fourth-seeded Philadelphia Fusion defeated No. 5 Atlanta Reign and No. 7 Seoul Dynasty took down previously undefeated two-seed New York Excelsior in quarterfinals.
Saturday’s semifinals games featured matchups between Vancouver and Seoul, and San Francisco and Philadelphia. Both matches ended with the winning team sweeping the series 4-0 to enter the Stage 1 Finals with serious momentum.
The Overwatch League’s 2019 season continues when Stage 2 begins on Thursday, April 4, with the Philadelphia Fusion squaring off against the New York Excelsior.
Stage records will reset for Stage 2, but Stage 1 results will count toward the final standings at the end of the 2019 regular season.
