The Overwatch League is compiling a 'scouting report' of the world's best players

The Overwatch League took another step toward becoming a thing that actually exists with today's announcement from commissioner Nate Nanzer that the league has begun the process of assembling a scouting report of pro players from around the world, which will be available to all Overwatch League team owners.

The basis of the report will be an email survey sent out today to players, asking them first to declare their interest in participating in the league, and if they wish to take part, to relate "their experiences and preferences and to grant permission to the Overwatch League to share their information with team owners."

Aside from having a Blizzard account in good standing and meeting the legal age and eligibility requirements in their home country, prospective players must also meet the following criteria:

A top-500 finish in Competitive Play (based on Skill Rating) in Overwatch Seasons 3 or 4 for any region
A playoff finish in recent high-caliber tournaments such as APEX Season 2 or Premier Series 2017 Spring, or an invitation to Pacific Championship 2017 Season 1
Other distinguishing qualifications indicative of top-tier talent, including but not limited to membership on an established professional Overwatch team

"In gathering and organizing this data, our intent is to provide teams with a useful tool to support a roster-building strategy; we are not saying that this information should override other important factors," Nanzer wrote. "Statistics, as we know, are only one piece of the puzzle in determining what makes an Overwatch player great, but we wanted to ensure that every great Overwatch player is presented to team owners on a level, transparent playing field for consideration."

Nanzer pointed out receipt that the survey does not guarantee a spot on an Overwatch League roster, but it is a sign that you're on the radar. "And that sentiment goes for all of you in the Overwatch community: every competitive player, every viewer, every streamer, every cosplayer, every fan artist, every esports fan. We see you, and we are building the Overwatch League to be worthy of your passion," he said. "Thank you for believing in us, and keep an eye out for more news coming soon."

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.