Belong Gaming Arenas, a subsidiary of esports and gaming technology company Vindex, has partnered with Overwatch League franchise Houston Outlaws for the upcoming Battle for Texas Overwatch League event.
As a part of the deal, Belong Gaming Arenas will set up a special gaming area at the event and outfit it with PCs and peripherals similar to those found in its gaming arenas across the United States.
Image credit: Houston Outlaws
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According to the release, the partnership aims to deliver an onsite experience for fans to play the Overwatch 2 PvP beta during the event. The area will be available before and after the opening ceremony and throughout the whole duration of the event.
Additionally, the Houston Outlaws will award 50 fans in attendance with access to the beta version of Overwatch 2 PvP mode, set to launch on April 26th.
Wim Stocks, SVP of Partnerships and Commercial, Belong Gaming Arenas, spoke on the announcement: “Belong is rooted in this idea of building communities of gamers at the local level, and the Battle for Texas is a great opportunity for us to bring that vision to life in one of our key markets where we have locations in Houston and Dallas, with more to come.
“We’re looking forward to partnering with [Houston Outlaws parent company] Beasley Esports and adding to an already incredible event experience.”
The season-opening event, which will feature Houston Outlaws against the Dallas Fuel, is set to take place on May 6th at the new Tech Port Arena in San Antonio, Texas. This marks the fifth instalment of the event, which will feature Overwatch 2 for the first time in front of a live audience.
Belong Gaming Arenas joins the likes of Respawn Entertainment, H-E-B Grocery Company and Wingstop as a partner of the event.
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Lori Burgess, COO of Beasley Esports, commented: “With something as momentous as the start of this year’s Overwatch League, we wanted to match that and give back to our fans who’ve supported us right from the very start,” said
“We know fans have been eager to get their hands on Overwatch 2 PvP, and partnering with Belong will help us do just that. The Battle for Texas won’t be just a kick off to a new Overwatch League season, but a true debut of what fans can expect from this game, our team and the community as a whole.”
Esports Insider says: This partnership will surely make many attending fans happy. Not only will they be able to finally see an in-person Overwatch action for the first time in two years, but they will also get a chance to try the long-anticipated Overwatch 2 for the first time right at the venue — a great way to kick off the new season.