The announcement of Sinatraa leaving the Overwatch Community has brought out many different perspectives on Jay ‘Sinatraa’ Won’s decision. There is always the ‘Overwatch is dead’ comments, but then there are those who view this as Sinatraa reaching completion in what the game has to give. Here is the look at the duality of Sinatraa’s decision that others have made before him to pave the path.
To Leave
Sinatraa has won the Overwatch League Season 2 with the San Francisco Shock, the Overwatch World Cup, and MVP titles. What else is there to do in Overwatch? Harry ‘LEGDAY’ Pollitt tweeted that straight out. That seems to be the popular opinion among Overwatch fans when it comes to Sinatraa leaving. He was not the first to make that move, nor will he be the last.
Let’s be real, Sinatraa didn’t retire from Overwatch.
He completed Overwatch.
— LEGDAY (@LEGDAY) April 28, 2020
Injae ‘Esca‘ Kim made a similar choice when he decided to abandon the Overwatch League to instead join a budding new FPS game PUBG. Esca was a two time APEX champion and also an Overwatch World Cup Champion. There is no doubt that money and the stability of the Overwatch League is tantalizing, but there is much more behind the decision. This gamble that Esca took and Sinatraa is currently taking, has a high reward. Esca went on from Overwatch to win even more titles and some would say exceeded what he could’ve done in Overwatch by moving to PUBG.
Just like Esca, this is a chance for Sinatraa to move on and start building his legacy in other games. Sinatraa has the skills to move to a new game and gain multiple MVP titles. Players in the Overwatch League such as Aaron ‘Bischu’ Kim, Youngjin ‘Gamsu’ Noh, and Jehong ‘Ryujehong’ Ryu show that the game a pro starts out in might not be the game most associated with them at the end of their career.
To Stay
There is also an argument on whether Sinatraa should’ve stuck it out and stayed. Yes, he achieved great things already in Overwatch. Like the argument for leaving said ‘what more can he achieve?’ and why not try a new FPS. Anyone in the esport community, whether a fan of League of Legends or not, knows the name Sanghyeok ‘Faker’ Lee. A couple of weeks ago he just led T1 to their 9th LCK title win. The 23-year-old Midlaner built a dynasty and became the face of his game.
2011 was when Faker first found League of Legends and soon his first team was built around him. In the 2013 Summer Finals, only 2 years since he first started playing he won his first OGN title. SKT then gained their first world title for Season 3. He went on to have highs and lows in the game but ultimately came out on top to snag many wins and titles.
Faker could have left League of Legends any time and have people say the same as the community is saying about Sinatraaa, he completed the game. But he decided to stay. The legend that surrounded him at the beginning of his career has only grown to what the esport world now knows as Faker. He has continued to strengthen his brand and just this year became a part-owner in T1, the team that helped propel his career.
Bringing this back to Sinatraa, what could he have achieved if he had stayed with Overwatch? He was one of the main faces of the game alongside others. Could he have been the Faker of Overwatch?
The Duality of the Decision
Neither decision is the ‘right’ decision. It is unique to the player and the situation. Sinatraa said on his twitlonger that he posted April 28th that this wasn’t a decision he came to quickly or easily. With this decision, his future in esports has altered its course, whether for the better or not is still unknown. As seen, both paths can have amazing achievements and create a legacy that people won’t forget.
What all three of these players have is drive. They want to be the best. Esca and Faker both achieved a lot of success in their respective choices to leave or stay with their game. The future for Sinatraa is up in the air, but with his raw mechanical skills and game sense, it is a good bet that he will thrive in any FPS.
Best of luck to Sinatraa and his esport career that is full of potential. The Overwatch community is excited to see him playing Valorant either on his Twitch stream or in professional play once that becomes a reality.
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