The Overwatch League, which opens Season 4 later this month, will make a tentative return to live matches after a year of online competition.

Of course, most matches will still be played remotely. However, five Overwatch teams in China will attempt to play matches at three local events in Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

"Due to improved health and safety conditions in China, we are pleased to announce that we plan to resume live events in three cities during the 2021 season. This honors our commitment to resume offline competitions while prioritizing the safety of our players, fans and staff," Blizzard wrote in the announcement.

Not all of these matches will feature both teams on stage. Five Chinese teams will play in person, while three Korean teams will play remotely via the Overwatch League tournament servers.

The coronavirus pandemic is having a more ominous effect on OWL players abroad than just canceling face-to-face events; Dallas Fuel player Lee "Fearless" Eui-seok said last week that he and his fellow Asian players spoke out about the escalating racism and harassment they are facing while living in the US.

The fourth season of the Overwatch League kicks off on April 16, with many matches scheduled for the opening weekend.