Activision Blizzard had been seeking a $20 million franchise fee from Overwatch League team owners, with no revenue sharing until after 2021, ESPN has reported. Blizzard Entertainment released the "Overwatch" multiplayer shooter title in May 2016, and it's already attracted more than 30 million players, according to the company. The Overwatch League, currently set to launch its first season before the end of 2017, is the first city-based pro esports league, with initial teams in the U.S. as well as China and Korea. Activision Blizzard expects to announce more teams for the league before the beginning of the first season, with the long-term goal of teams in the world's 28 largest media markets. "It's the first league -- ever -- that's global," said Pete Vlastelica, CEO of Activision Blizzard's Major League Gaming eSports division.

A screen, center, shows a professional video game competition between teams sitting on either side. Unionization of players is a big topic in the industry after several years of fast growth. A screen, center, shows a professional video game competition between teams sitting on either side. Unionization of players is a big topic in the industry after several years of fast growth. With threats of strikes and retaliatory layoffs, and no shortage of sniping on social media, a battle last winter had the stamps of a modern-day union war.