Overwatch League players open up amidst uncertain future
With their season over and their professional future in limbo, Overwatch League players have started candidly sharing their experience.
06th Oct 2023 17:15
Image via Toronto Defiant | Guxue
Overwatch League players open up amidst uncertain future
With their season over and their professional future in limbo, Overwatch League players have started candidly sharing their experience.
06th Oct 2023 17:15
Image via Toronto Defiant | Guxue
As the future of Overwatch esports remains uncertain, more and more players feel comfortable sharing the experience of their time in Overwatch League.
Recently, players like Hangzhou Spark's Xu "guxue" Qiulin and Florida Mayhem's Ham "SOMEONE" Jeong-wan have opened up about their lives within their respective teams, sharing both positive and negative memories.
A champion’s insight
Season MVP and tank for the Florida Mayhem, SOMEONE shared his thoughts on the Korean message board DCInside.
SOMEONE spoke highly of the team's harmonious atmosphere, attributing it to the players' open-mindedness. Drawing on past experiences, he reflected on the team's growth, moving from a challenging previous year to one marked by maturity and experience.
On a personal front, SOMEONE highlighted his surprise at winning the MVP award, especially after witnessing teammate Choi "MER1T" Tae-min's outstanding gameplay. He was equally candid about his initial apprehensions, feeling the weight of expectations from past MVPs.
In lighter moments, he commented on the aesthetics of the in-game skins, favoring the Gladiators over Mayhem's. Concluding his reflections, he shared that the Pro-Am final against the Gladiators was notably more challenging than their grand finale with Houston.
Guxue on his time in the Spark
Hangzhou Spark's star player, Guxue, shed light on some behind-the-scenes happenings within the team. In a candid revelation, he shared that while Kim "Shu" Jin-seo was allegedly almost on board with Spark, the decision swayed in favour of Lee "MCD" Jeong-ho due to the latter's promising potential in shot calling and his game sense.
The coaching staff, predominantly Korean, placed substantial emphasis on MCD's contributions, resulting in significant shifts in the team's strategies and roster, so Guxue.
Guxue also touched upon individual player dynamics. He praised Shin "BERNAR" Se-won's proficiency in D.va and Sigma roles, acknowledging him as superior to Jia "LiGe" Chengjie. This preference was consistent, even after the departure of MCD and coach Hwang "paJion" Ji-sub, because BERNAR's qualities remained undeniable.
The Hangzhou Spark's internal dynamics were marked by divisions. Guxue described the team's segregation, with Korean players forming a distinct group, except for BERNAR, who chose to remain neutral. He also highlighted the team's oversized composition, leading to cramped practice sessions, with nearly 20 individuals observing six players during scrims.
Wishing for a more streamlined approach, Guxue expressed his preference for smaller rosters, emphasising better team coordination and camaraderie. He criticized the frequent player swaps, indicating it hindered communication and teamwork.
About The Author
Sascha Heinisch
Sascha "Yiska" Heinisch is a Senior Esports Journalist at GGRecon. He's been creating content in esports for over 10 years, starting with Warcraft 3.
Related
More Like This
OWL-winning Coach of the Year retires due to 'lack of financial incentives'
One of the main characters of the last two years of competitive Overwatch just retired, citing gruelling work hours and a lack of income opportunities. Is this yet another canary in the coal mine event for the esport?
31 weeks ago
