The Overwatch League by Blizzard works in partnership with streetwear icon and designer Jeff Staples. He helped design the official kits for this season of eSports games for the Overwatch League. Staples joined forces with some Overwatch players to create designs that bridge the elements of esports and traditional sports together.
All of the items in the collection are constructed from a pin-dot mesh fabrication. This is then adorned with a plethora of team-based visual graphics and side gussets in order for an adjustable fit. There is also a focus on delivering a strong element of comfort so that the wearability lasts through long gaming sessions. The complete kit features a hat, a beanie, compression sleeve, jacket, short sleeve jersey, and a long sleeve jersey.
Image Credit: Blizzard
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Street-informed Esports Kits
- The collaboration between Blizzard and Jeff Staples showcases the trend of merging streetwear aesthetics with eSports fashion, creating disruptive innovation opportunities in the apparel industry.
- Crossing Over Traditional and Esports Sports
- By incorporating elements of traditional sports into eSports kits, the Overwatch League taps into a trend that allows for disruptive innovation opportunities in the sports industry, blending the worlds of gaming and athletic apparel.
- Comfort-focused Gaming Apparel
- With a strong emphasis on comfort in the Overwatch League's kits, there is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the gaming industry by creating apparel that maximizes comfort during long gaming sessions.
Where This Applies
- Apparel Industry
- The collaboration between Blizzard and Jeff Staples in designing street-informed eSports kits presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the apparel industry by merging gaming and streetwear aesthetics.
- Sports Industry
- By incorporating elements of traditional sports into the design of eSports kits, the Overwatch League opens up disruptive innovation opportunities in the sports industry, creating a bridge between gaming and athletic apparel.
- Gaming Industry
- The focus on delivering comfort in the Overwatch League's gaming apparel provides disruptive innovation opportunities in the gaming industry by creating apparel that enhances the gaming experience and prolongs gaming sessions.
