The first big finals of the Overwatch League provide a crucial lesson about the esports: Adapt or die

The great fina the OWL's being broadcast live on the ESPN family of networks and re-air on ABC – are a stark example of what happens when an update, or "patch," changes the "meta" , Which players call the conditions of competition. For most of the season, Excelsior mastered a quick-hit strategy for which opponents had no answer – until the game provided one. When Blizzard introduced a new playable character, the enemies of the Excelsior had a counter that could check his quick typing strategy. He was quickly adopted by many league teams, leveling the battlefield.

In comparison to the traditional sports world, the dynamics would have been similar to that of the Golden State Warriors "Death Alignment," but then, in the playoffs, the league made Stephen Curry wearing a weighted jacket while giving to the Warriors' opponents a defensive specialist to help close Kevin Durant. Or, it would be like golfing "Tiger-proofing" its courses by adding yards to counter long drivers like Tiger Woods … but make the change after the third round of a major.

[He quit his State Department job to play video games. Now he’s a star in the NBA’s 2K league.]

For a traditional audience, such a change be staggering. In the context of esports, patches are common because circuits like the OWL try to avoid outdated scenarios or over-dominate by one or a few of the characters in the game. Players expect a meta -variation, and Nate Nanzer, commissioner of OWL, said that it attracted some fans because the patches prevent the banal gameplay.

The London Spitfire has adopted the latest changes in the game and could be the favorite to win the title. (Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment)

"You've seen a baseball game, you've seen them all," said Philadelphia team president Tucker Roberts. "One of the exciting things about esports is that they change the game and give you a reason to always watch, because it's changing."

OWL gave players nearly a month between the last regular season game and the playoff start to practice and formulate new strategies. Still, the decision, Forté said, still had a huge and huge impact on the Grand Finals clash

This is, to a large extent, indicative of the rapidly evolving digital culture in which Overwatch exists. Every professional sports league considers rule changes to improve its product, but most officials wait after the season to address concerns because they have accepted governance before the year and want to avoid upheavals. The metas must change because, as one game manager said, "we are still in beta". In games, upheaval is the normal form of governance.

So, after the last patch, the teams rush to scrimmage – and solve the puzzle the best way to adapt. Philadelphia has looked at the flexibility of Los Angeles Valiant in switching between characters and adopted similar principles, said coach Yann "Kirby" Luu. Then the Fusion put them into practice against his partner Scrim, London, and as a new composition emerged as a reliable basic tactic, the two began to use it heavily. These maneuvers are the main reason why both teams are in the Grand Final, said London's Jae-Hui "Gesture" Hong. This certainly helped Philadelphia defeat New York 3-0, 3-2 in the semifinal, when Excelsior seemed unable or unable to adapt.