Hangzhou Spark: Why The Nearly Men Are So Frustrating

Every year we mull over each of the Overwatch League franchises and attempt to size them up before the start of the new season. We look at their rookie class, their coaching staff, and go as far as to see if there is a style of play that might suit them in the upcoming season. And while certain teams are difficult to rank, there is one team that sticks out amongst the rest.

The Hangzhou Spark have boasted all the attributes of a strong team for nearly their entire history within the league. And what do they have to show for it? A handful of pocket lint and wishful thinking. Why are the Spark so frustratingly difficult to pin down and is 2022 going to be any different?

Can Hangzhou Spark in 2022?

First things first, it’s difficult to have a strong team without the resources to maintain it. And from the outside looking in the Hangzhou Spark seem to have that in spades. 

While we don’t have actual figures for the average spend for the league as a whole, we do have their activities which we can glean enough information from—and the Spark are very active in that regard.

Since their debut in 2019, Hangzhou have always maintained a large roster. Their freshman season saw them initially with 11 players, 2020 saw them reach the max of 12 players, and just last year they still maintained a 10 man roster. They do this all the while operating a successful academy team in Overwatch Contenders in Bilibili Gaming. And the pink-little-cherry on top is that the Hangzhou Spark are housed in a state-of-the-art training and logistics facility. 

All things considered, it feels as though the Hangzhou Spark have some resources to spend.

Speaking of, their rosters rarely miss a beat as well, partially because of their sheer numbers but also because they have attracted some incredible talents across the years. 

Initial scepticism was warranted as bringing in rookie talent always leaves room for questions. However, after their quite respectable fourth-place finish during the 2019 Overwatch League playoffs. It was this iteration that first introduced the world to players like Xu "guxue" Qiulin and Park "iDK" Ho-jin. In 2020, star Park "Architect" Minho dawned the pink and blue and the following year we were graced with Zheng "shy" Yangjie and Shin "BERNAR" Se-won. 

Even this year players like Li "Pineapple" Zhuo, Kim "AlphaYi" Jun, and Wu "Superich" Gengtuo are exciting prospects that the Spark has secured ahead of the first season of Overwatch 2. 

So why are we so gun shy with such a dynamic and powerful franchise? 

While the Spark always seems to bring top talent to the table, the results simply are not there. Yes, their fourth-place finish in 2019 is impressive and something many people fail to remember, but besides that; Hangzhou have not capitalised on their talent well at all.

Excuses were made for 2019 with its incredibly rigid metagame focused around tanks and supports, something many front offices around the league possibly couldn’t account for and yet that was their best season.

The start of the global pandemic in 2020 saw an emergency shift in format with the introduction of hero pools and outside stress weighing down on both teams and players. And while many of those same problems lingered into 2021, those very real and tangible excuses were falling away fast.

What Problems Do Hangzhou Spark Face?

One of the largest sore spots for Hangzhou Spark, especially in recent years, has been their troubles with their coaching staff. By Week 3 of the 2021 Overwatch League season, the Spark had sweeping coaching changes that underlined how the remainder of their season would progress.

Head coach Hwang "paJion" Ji-sub and assistant coach Kim "nOrU" Jae-dong were released and Hwang "Andante" Jaehong and Kim "Mentalist" Chung-in would remain in charge. However, the latter duo would also depart the team prior to the Countdown Cup.

The turmoil took its toll, and by the end of the season, Hangzhou Spark were languishing in thirteenth place. This was worse than their tenth place finish the year before.

With the potential Hangzhou possess, they should be a playoff lock and title contender, not a team of mediocracy, and their last couple of years must disappoint everyone connected with the team.

Does Overwatch 2 Provide Fuel For Hangzhou Spark?

Now, the forthcoming release of Overwatch 2 brings new hurdles to vault. New metrics, new heroes, it all changes this year. And while this is a stretch, from everything the developers have mentioned, Overwatch 2 does feel like a more mechanically demanding game. 

Early reports state that healing has been nerfed. The cast of characters will also be rebalanced but one of the more tangible aspects slated to be changed is the reduction of crowd control abilities. This, along with the game’s switch to 5v5, will likely result in a game that will favour individual agency through mechanical aim and raw game skill. 

With those things considered, and with how strong the Spark’s team looks this year on paper, this could be the year where they rival their 2019 season.

Hangzhou Spark can also find hope in their brand new coaching staff; headed by former London Spitfire and Seoul Dynasty coach, Park "changgoon" Chang-geun. Flanking him is former professional players, Huang "Xiaogui" Tsung-Yu, Gong "Miro" Jin-hyuk, and Park "Neko" Se-hyeon. And while this regime does lack tangible mid-league experience, the ability to pull from past eras of play from the top down and connect with players due to their experiences as players should do wonders for a franchise looking to rebuild. 

Again, it is difficult to not approach the 2022 season with hesitation, partly because of how frustrating their history has been—but somehow there is hope for Hangzhou.

This is a new game with a new staff and some incredibly talented new players. Sure they have a shadow to crawl out from, but is it that far-fetched to say that the Hangzhou Spark can turn it around?

You’re nearly there Spark! This can be your year.