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The Overwatch League’s Golden Boy

Publish Date: August 5, 2018

A handful of names spring to mind when one thinks about the Overwatch League. Take a second and think of how many you can list off the top of your head. Not player handles – that’s too easy! I’m talking real names. Malik Forte, star MC and wearer of shiny suits. Josh Wilkinson, Mitch Leslie, Matt Morello, just to name a few. Each of those are easy enough to remember if you watched any amount of Overwatch this season. There’s one player you didn’t see too often, though; a player you may not have heard of, but still someone that you should have an eye on.

Alex Mendez

You might find yourself asking, “Wait, who?”

Maybe not, if you paid attention throughout the season. Definitely not, if you watched the league’s Grand Finals in Brooklyn. In the opening moments of the Overwatch League’s first bid to capture history, that name – Goldenboy’s real name – stood taller than the rest. A well-deserved position, and one that took years of toil and hardship to reach.

So Who is He?

Most know Alex simply as “Goldenboy”. His handle means, according to Collins English Dictionary, “a man (or boy) who is especially popular and successful.” Coming from a rough childhood in the Bronx, it’s not hard to suss out how he might have found that title particularly desirable. A life of fame, popularity, success? Isn’t that what most people want, and what so many people scratch and claw towards every day of their lives?

Many, perhaps, but not Alex. Goldenboy never let his tough start keep him from being a good person, and the many friends he’s made along the way have taken notice.

“I like that Goldenboy is one of the most genuine men I’ve ever met,” OWL analyst Brennon Hook said on stream this past Sunday. “I really rate him – I respect the hustle, and he’s also one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met. Just class.”

“Goldenboy is the hardest working dude in esports,” long-term friend and fellow OWL star Malik Forte said in an interview with the Daily Mail.

“His work ethic is hard to overlook, it’s very inspiring. I feel like having this dude as part of my life has always driven me to take things a step further.”

A Step Further

Goldenboy’s appearance at the Grand Finals last week was hardly the first stop on his road to popularity and success. Normally, when I research a player or coach for a feature, the first thing I see is an Overwatch-centric Liquidpedia page. For Goldenboy, it’s a little different. He’s got a Halo page, a Fortnite page, a Call of Duty page… the list goes on.

2018-06-16 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

The sheer variety of entries in Goldenboy’s digital backlog shows one thing above all else: He does. Not. Stop. One day he’ll be on the desk at a Gears of War tournament, the next he’ll be hosting the Halo World Cup Series, the next he’s replacing Puckett on the desk at Blizzard Arena. His Twitter is a cacophony of travel photos, stream links, media appearances and WWE gifs. It’s insanity in its purest, busiest form. How does he do it?

The Key is. . .

As I understand it, there are only two tricks to Goldenboy’s success in esports so far: Stay busy, and stay humble. It’s easy to get a big head in esports – as in any sport, ego is always in play, and competition often brings out the worst in people. Goldenboy sees past the fog of war, and understands the importance of respect, hustle, and remembering where you came from. It’s a good look for him, and for the industry’s future.