Retain up to speed with the Overwatch League with Know It OWL, as our weekend editor Jay Castello provides you the fortnightly highlights.
I had a diverse opening paragraph for this report till I went hunting for a header image. Now I’ve deleted it, and as an alternative I’m going to speak about why I’m in enjoy with this image of Park “Saebyeolbe” Jongryeol. This is my 22nd and penultimate entry in this column, and deciding on a lead photo is normally a single of my favourite components, for the reason that there are also normally so several moments of joy to select from. Yes, you will generally see images of players hunting focused or upset, but my private style guide normally skews towards an image of celebration. Like this a single.
Except Saebyeolbe just lost a game in this image. That confetti is San Francisco Shock orange they just produced it to playoffs, leaving Saebyolbe and the rest of the Excelsior in third spot. But he’s nonetheless smiling, congratulating his group, normally hunting on prime of the planet. It is additional than okay for players to be gutted following losing, and they must be provided the space to really feel that way with out becoming exploited for broadcast. But exactly where we more than-concentrate on these, we miss ray of sunshine reactions like Saebyolbe’s (and SonicFox just before him).
If you go all the way back to my really initial Know It OWL instalment, there’s additional confetti, this time in New York Excelsior blue. It was me secretly laying my chips on the table, casting my vote for them to take the season. I was incorrect, but all issues thought of, the reality that they net third spot is close adequate for me.
Of course, that indicates that our two finalists are Vancouver Titans and San Francisco Shock. Thinking about how continuously surprising this season’s been, the reality that the undisputed prime teams essentially will be the ones playing for the ultimate victory is probably an upset in and of itself. But Vancouver’s pedigree from when they have been Runaway speaks for itself, and I devoted a entire piece to how we most likely shouldn’t have been shocked by the Shock.
They’ve each produced clear throughout these final handful of weeks that they continue to deserve their prime spots, with neither hesitating to adapt to the new meta brought on by the introduction of the toe fiend Sigma. Vancouver’s Choi “Jjanu” Hyeonwoo stepped into the new hero’s lack of footwear, and took to it straight away. Unsurprising, thinking about his history in speedily finding out newly released tanks he was a single of the initial to use Wrecking Ball in experienced play back when Titans have been Runaway.
Far more of a shift for Vancouver was benching former most useful player candidate and arguably the face of the group Park “Bumper” Sangbeom in favour of Hwang “Tizi” Janghyeon. They have been pretty open about the motivation behind the transform, although: Bumper’s aggressive style merely does not perform with the new Orisa-Sigma focused group compositions. I’m positive he’ll be back as quickly as charging in with wild abandon becomes the approach once again.
It would be remiss to have any conversation about the Titans with out mentioning Kim “Haksal” Hyojong, whose Doomfist play appears frankly terrifying even compared with the rest of the playoff teams, who are hardly poor. He also managed to win each Rookie Of The Year and a Function Star award, for when you definitely wanna double down that this guy games great. If Vancouver get the edge in the finals, which to be clear I have no notion if they will, it’ll be down to Haksal.
If everyone can give him a run for his dollars, although, it’ll be Jay “Sinatraa” Won, San Francisco Shock’s Doomfist and this year’s most useful player winner. Even though Shock have been cycling several of their group on and off the bench, with other harm dealing players obtaining a turn in the spotlight alongside Sinatraa, and Bumper’s fellow principal tank/MVP candidate/face of the group is also sitting most of the games out, as although the two have entwined fates.
Shock essentially had to fight their way by way of the loser’s bracket following a narrow defeat at the hands of Atlanta Reign throughout playoffs. But they looked quite unruffled by the knowledge, and Reign couldn’t full their personal run to the finals. It is nonetheless worth remembering their Sigma player, Blake “Gator” Scott for subsequent season, although. Coming up from the second teir Goats group – yes, the a single that invented the infamous triple tank, triple assistance meta – he was brought in especially to represent the newest hero and shone whilst carrying out so.
Also, here’s Andrej “Babybay” Francisty just taking Shock apart with Symmetra, for the reason that it is a really uncommon occurrence on a number of levels that requires immortalising.
As properly as a variety of awards for great play, the League handed out the Dennis Hawelka award this week, for normally becoming a great particular person. It went to Scott “Custa” Kennedy, the Los Angeles Valiant’s principal assistance and captain. My vote was with Shanghai Dragons’ Noh “Gamsu” Youngjin, who when took Haksal hiking following the latter was rude to him in ranked play, or Saebyeolbe of course, but Custa is apparently a really good and supportive teammate to have about, and he’s raised a bunch of dollars this year for a children’s hospital, so I’ll not complain.
It is rather good to have a number of candidates for an award like this, and it does normally really feel like players have completed much less awful issues than they did final year. Blizzard introduced a tracker to show when they had to discipline players and following collecting the initial group in December they utilised it precisely when, which definitely wouldn’t have been my prediction. It is not been excellent, and fans and broadcast employees could stand to begin moving in the suitable path as well, but I am pleasantly shocked.
There’s just a single additional match left, and we will ultimately, definitively, and inherently unfairly be in a position to say no matter whether Shock or Titans are the most effective group in the League. The other a single will be cursed with unfavourable comparisons for at least the subsequent season. Also I believe there’s a trophy and dollars involved or what ever. That is on Sunday the 29th of September, and it is essentially at the somewhat friendly time of 8pm GMT for when.
Till then, here’s translator and interviewer Danny Lim living his most effective life way in the background of this caster shot. I see you, Danny, and I appreciate it.