Week 2 of Stage 4 of the Overwatch League’s first season will look to bring clarity, with five different teams hoping to maintain their perfect records.
Fusion look to cruise
The easiest path to a 4-0 start belongs to the Philadelphia Fusion, who have two struggling teams in the Shanghai Dragons and the Dallas Fuel scheduled.
Philadelphia had a return to form in Week 1, dominating with a strategy many thought would die out; dive. The addition of SADO after his suspension has yielded a myriad of positives already, with the team looking both stacked with talent and ripe with coordination.
One thing to track for Philadelphia this week is their play against winless Shanghai, who in the previous stage were able to push Philly to a Game 5 before the Fusion put them away.
Outlaws have a challenge
Arguably the most difficult path lies with the Houston Outlaws, who after looking like one of the best teams in the league in Week 1, have both the Los Angeles Gladiators and the San Francisco Shock on their slate.
Houston clearly benefited the most from the reduction in play of Tracer; a hero they notoriously struggled to field for multiple stages. Coupled with the continued growth of JAKE and LiNkzr, all of a sudden Houston have a chance to dominate.
The Gladiators will be the most difficult test for Houston over the coming weeks as after they finish the week off with the Shock, the Outlaws have Shanghai and Florida in Week 3.
Slow start from Boston
A team looking to bounce back is the Boston Uprising, who shocked the scene by losing both games at the start of Stage 4. Boston stole the hearts of fans across the world with their incredible run in Stage 3, which saw them fall just short of a perfect season in the Finals to the New York Excelsior.
While expected to take a step back after appearing to peak, dropping both matches was by no means expected. Striker, after having the freedom to select Tracer essentially on every map, is now forced to readjust to the new meta. Coupled with the improvements from other squads near them such as the Outlaws, Fusion and Gladiators, Boston could be in a tough spot moving forward.
This week is a chance for the Uprising to get back on their feet, with matches against the Dallas Fuel and the Los Angeles Valiant. That latter match-up against the Valiant is a perfect measurement of each team’s strength moving forward, with continued questions about the long-term viability of each.
New York on a roll
Two-time defending stage champions New York Excelsior will be looking to continue their form against the Seoul Dynasty and the Shanghai Dragons. Some wondered if this was finally the meta game to shut down the previously dominant Excelsior, but after solid wins over Florida and London, it appears they have still maintained their form.
New York still have it all, with a wealth of talent in seemingly every position routinely supplemented by quality shot calling and ultimate management. Remaining the most complete team in the league, the question becomes more about which teams will be able to rise to New York’s level, more so than if New York’s play will see any dip in form.
Shock will be pushed
The San Francisco Shock have a difficult test this week, with the London Spitfire and the Houston Outlaws due up. In Week 1 the Shock narrowly fell to the Los Angeles Gladiators before pulling off a victory against the Seoul Dynasty.
One interesting adaptation for the Shock thus far in Stage 4 is the reduction in play for Danteh, who had previously appeared to be steadily improving within the DPS role. Sinatraa has seen an increase in playing time alongside Architect, with the team having a decent amount of flexibility.
San Francisco have continued improving, yet their ceiling appears to be a tad lower compared to other middle of the pack squads. The Shock still have the potential to pull off a victory this week though, especially if London continue to falter.
Conclusion
With the fourth and final stage of the inaugural Overwatch season underway, thoughts are now turning to the overall standings. New York Excelsior have a comfortable lead in the Atlantic Division over the Boston Uprising and the London Spitfire while the Los Angeles Valiant and Seoul Dynasty lead the way in the Pacific. With four weeks still to go though, all this could change.
