Student Champs 2022/23 – Winter split overview and Spring registrations now open

With the Winter split coming to a close, all eyes are set on what the Spring season of the British Esports Student Champs will look like.

We look back at all of the action from the Winter season, and outline what is to come in January as we prepare for Spring.

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Teams and Players:

So far in the 2022/23 season, we have achieved a whopping 62% growth in teams competing in comparison to last season, and this figure is before new teams have the option to get involved in Spring.

We have had 165 unique schools and colleges bringing in over 2500 players to the Student Champs so far, with a total of 578 teams competing in this season’s Winter split. All of these teams have played an assortment of matches – going from a Swiss Stage to Groups in order to climb the leader board for their designated title.

Now, these positions in the group stages will determine the seeding and divisions going into the Spring split – with teams being given the chance to be promoted to the Nationals in each of the four titles.

Alice Leaman, Head of Operations at British Esports, said: “The Winter season has been action-packed: introducing a new format, regionalisation, and skill divisions – and we look forward to seeing which teams are promoted come Spring. We have seen a significant increase in the number of teams involved in our Student Champs during this season alone, and we cannot wait to enable more teams in Spring to compete on a national level.”

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Format changes – results so far:

For this season, a new format for play was introduced as a way to try and make for a more fun and competitive experience. 

Thus far, we have seen all of the teams settle into the new formats and regionalisation very well – and teams are now preparing for the potential promotions in Spring.

Currently, we have 304 teams competing in the North region, and 262 from the South.

Returning teams from the Winter season will have the opportunity to be promoted going into the next split – so if your team is in the top seed of Division 1, you will earn a spot for your team in the National Division. Top seeds in Division 2 will earn a promotion to move to Division 1. 

Please note: Exact numbers being promoted will vary depending on the tournament size. This promotion period will take place in January, and updates on the process will be shared with teams involved.

However, new teams getting involved in January will need to undertake a seeding process to determine their division placement, and will then move into group stages as normal once this is complete. 

Around March, the top teams in all divisions will move into a playoff stage, and will face off in an elimination bracket that concludes in a National Finals, Regional Finals for Division 1, and combined region finals for Division 2.

Current standings in each Division for the four titles can be found here.

This is all to look forward to in the Spring split, so make sure you are signed up or following to see who comes out on top.

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Introduction of Overwatch 2:

As well as a new format, we also introduced a new title into the Student Champs – Overwatch 2.

All 133 teams (including those who took part in the Women in Esports pilot) have adapted well to the new 5v5 gameplay, and hopes are high for what the Spring season will bring for the new title.

We have seen many different compositions and strategies so far in the Winter season, and with Overwatch 2 introducing a new hero (Rammatra) for the new in-game season, teams have the opportunity to play a completely different style.

There are high expectations for where Overwatch 2 can go, especially in the Student Champs, and the Spring season will allow for this to come to light.

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Women in Esports pilot:

Alongside the main Student Champs season, we also hosted the Women in Esports Overwatch 2 pilot – for women and marginalised genders to have a safe space to compete.

12 teams have competed weekly throughout the Winter split, and we have seen a significant impact on the students being able to compete. 

Moreover, after surveying the teams, we found that 70% of participants in the pilot did not previously compete in the Student Champs – meaning that this tournament allowed them the opportunity to compete in a comfortable environment. 

Registrations to take part in the next split of the pilot are currently open, and you can register your team here.

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Registrations are now open for Spring:

As the final fixtures for Winter wrap up, the Spring registrations are now open for new teams wanting to get involved in the Student Champs.

All teams that have competed in the Winter split will automatically be registered for the Spring split, so registrations are currently for new teams only.

To register a team, please visit the registration page on the Student Champs website and fill out the form to make a Champs account. You can then log into this account to start adding your teams to the tournament.

Further information about the Student Champs, specific title rulesets, and FAQs can be found here

Please note: Some small updates to ruleset or resources may be updated before the start of the Spring season to accommodate feedback from Winter. Any updates will be passed along to all teams involved.

GLHF, and we will see you in January!