Envy on his expected role with Shanghai: “I will be able to contribute to the team through my D.Va play, as well as other characters in my character pool that they lack.”

On June 18, it was officially announced that Kang-jae “envy” Lee would be joining the Shanghai Dragons from the Toronto Defiant. Envy is one of the most traveled players in the league, playing with the Valiant, Meta Bellum and the Defiant before moving to Shanghai. With so much experience in so many different environments, Envy reflects on what he’s learned and what he plans to bring to his new team.

What did you learn in your time as Team Captain of Toronto and what parting wisdom did you impart to the team as you were leaving?

So I don’t think there were any special privileges, I exerted as a team captain, however, it forced me to learn how to communicate more efficiently, without conflicts, and motivated me to establish a good relationship with every single player. Those communication skills are the most valuable things that I learned during my time as team captain.

Any parting words to the Toronto fans and organization?

Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

To the fans specifically, I would like to say that, despite my underperforming in Toronto, I would like to thank them for continuously supporting me throughout my time there.

What have you learned from the journey of the past two years, moving from the Valiant, to Meta Bellum, to Toronto, and now to Shanghai?

So, in the past, I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to meet different kinds of people. But, because I switched teams quite a lot throughout those two years, I was able to meet a lot of different people. So, other than my ability to communicate efficiently, I also learned that there are should be multiple approaches when interacting with different people. There was such a variety in how people responded in each different situation, even when I was communicating in the same way. That was all very valuable to me and now I understand that everybody’s different and I should approach each person I interact with in a unique way.

When you talked to Bonnie Qu last month, you mentioned that you wanted to focus on your own play and strive to improve moving forward. Have you been able to do this, even amidst moving to another team?

Yeah, of course, despite my moving situation, I have always been constantly striving to move forward. This is easier said than done, so I need to consider a lot of things. I will have to continuously research the way that I play and I’ll be constantly trying to find ways to improve. And I, frankly, think that this will be a never-ending process and I am dedicated to continue doing it.

Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

Jaesun Won, Toronto’s GM, said on Twitter that you were let go because he didn’t want to see you “sit on a bench and rot.” With that in mind, how do you see yourself fitting into the Dragons roster for the remainder of the season?

So, I requested to be traded at the end of Stage 2 to my coach and general manager. They’ve definitely been very receptive and have assisted me in transferring over to Shanghai.

To specifically answer the question about how I see myself fitting into the Dragons, I have always seen that the Dragons have a very unique playstyle with an excellent Sombra player. But, I think I will be able to contribute to the team through my D.Va play, as well as other characters in my character pool that they lack. But, obviously, nothing is set in stone and I am willing to just work with the coaches and the player staff on whatever the team needs.

From what you’ve seen thus far, what stands out most about this Dragons team?

So my first impression is, again, that the Sombra gameplay is very excellent and very unique. Also, another thing is that they seem to be able to use DPS characters very well, in contrast to most other teams who have struggled to fit them into the GOATS meta.

The Game Haus thanks Envy and the Shanghai Dragons for their help in organizing the interview and helping with translation.

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