Following an incredibly successful Summer Show𓄧down, the Overwatch League turns its attention to their upcoming Countdown Cup as the qualifying matches get underway this weekend. The Countdown Cup will have the same hero pool structure as the Summer Showdown with the first two weekends having a limited pool while the final qualifying 🍷weekend and tournament will be open. The hero pool for weeks 24 and 25 have been set.
This hero pool should be interesting as Mei and Widowmaker find themselves out of rotation in the DPS position. Orisa is the lone tank while Ana is the support to be missing in action for the next two weeks. With the nerf to Brigitte going live for the league, it seemed like Ana would be a big enabler of Genji comps but with her being out of rotation, it's hard to tell what teams will run. Reinhardt should see a resurgence in play which is a𝓰lways fun.
Widowmaker played a fun role in the Summer Showdown tournament so it's always sad to see her out of rotation. While Mei was mostly on certain control maps, the competi♑tive community isn't too warm on her so while her absence might not make the biggest impact on the games, it's a welcome ban.
Orisa seems like the most important hero to be taken out. She was a big enabler of the Genji meta through her halts and with her being gone, that might be an indirect nerf to Genji as an effective hero. There's always hope dive could become more♌ than map situational, but that is up in the air.
Like how the Summer Showdown hero pools operated, this hero pool will last two weeks before going to an ๊open hero pool for the final weekend of qualifying matches and the Countdown Cup𒆙 tournament. After the tournament the league will have a final hero pool for the last two weeks before the season playoffs kick off.