OWL 2022 October Offseason Biggest Winners

The 2022 Overwatch League offseason got off to a roaring start in its first full month. A majority of teams around the league played it productively. Despite not fully knowing what to expect for Overwatch 2, teams wasted no time bidding for top talent. With how hectic the first month was, an evaluation is in order. Here are some of the biggest winners of the OWL 2022 October Offseason.

Shanghai Dragons

The reigning champions took care of business very early. While it’s unclear if they intend to make any other signings before the start of the season, Shanghai did what they had to. With the exception of Rak-hoon “Develop” Chae, every other player from the championship team is under contract for 2022. Given the dominance this roster showcased in 2021, this sets the team up for another title run.

Dallas Fuel

The Fuel brought nearly every player from 2021 back. This is the first true season where Dallas did not make significant roster changes.

The core led by Yeong-han “SP9RK1E” Kim and Eui-Seok “Fearless” Lee allowed for Dallas to finish top three in the 2021 Playoffs. But the Fuel also made a few additions to increase their versatility. Former O2 Blast Main Support, Hyeon-seok “ChiYo” Han offers an arguably higher ceiling than former veteran, Seung-soo “Jecse” Lee. At the same time, Chiyo may be more effective on some of Jecse’s weaker heroes such as Brigitte.

What some fans may argue is more valuable, however, is the addition of two hitscan players. Tae-hoon “Edison” Kim and Min-seo “Guriyo” Kang maximize what compositions the Fuel will be comfortable utilizing. True dedicated hitscan players were something the Fuel lacked for all of 2021. These two pickups could prove to be true difference makers.

Seoul Dynasty

In a matter of weeks, the Dynasty addressed multiple positions. At the forefront of the signings is Sung-hyeon “JJoNak” Bang and Myeong-hwan “Smurf” Yoo. Given the caliber and reputation of these two players, they might be valuable assets who assist in putting Seoul back on the right track. JJoNak offers more explosiveness on the support line while Smurf brings in needed consistency at the tank position.

On top of that, the Dynasty signed rookie Main Support, Jun-woo “Vindaim” Park. The former O2 Blast prospect made a name for himself thanks to some promising performances on Brigitte. As a bonus, Seoul bolstered their already stacked DPS line with Hak-yong “Stalk3r” Jeong. His explosiveness and flexibility could prove to be of use as he fills in any missing holes on DPS.

Combine all the added big names with the stellar DPS duo of Joon-yeong “Profit” Park and Dong-eon “FITS” Kim and Seoul could be in for a bounce-back year.

Houston Outlaws

Despite the Outlaws dropping multiple big names during the offseason, they immediately showed they had a bigger picture in mind. They started by bringing back two of their main stars in Dante “Danteh” Cruz and Min-jun “PIGGY “ Shin.

Afterward, they went after Grand Finals caliber talent. The additions of Se-hyun “Pelican” Oh and Seung-hyun “Ir1s” Kim promote a promising core. The 2021 Rookie of the Year in particular promotes next-level flexibility. The combined might of him and Danteh could be tough to stop for any opposing team.

Ir1s on the other hand is coming off a career year. His stats were comparable to William “Crimzo” Hernandez in 2021. He also showed high levels of play in the clutch as seen by Atlanta’s Playoff run. His relationship and synergy with Pelican and Piggy are also a plus. If the Outlaws can carry the momentum from their OWL 2022 October Offseason to the following months, they may output their best results yet.

Toronto Defiant

The Defiant made major strides during the OWL 2022 October Offseason. The most noteworthy pickup was former Shock and Titans Flex Support, Joo-seok “Twilight” Lee. Despite coming off the bench often in 2021, he is still regarded as a top player at his position. Twilight is an aggressive and flexible playmaker who gives the Defiant needed star power.

Along with him, rookie main support, Yoo-min “CH0R0NG” Seong presents promising potential. If he develops properly, he and Twilight could be a menace to their opposition.

Adding onto the noteworthy pickups, the Defiant brought in some more youth with Young-hun “MuZe” Kim. Head Coach Dong-gun “KDG” Kim and his staff have a serious opportunity to help this young star progress. MuZe may see a similar jump to Su-min “SADO” Kim when KDG coached him on the Fusion in 2020 if all goes well.

With Hong-joon “HOTBA” Choi added for some extra veteran guidance, the Defiant possess a well-rounded core of players. They have stars, flexibility, leadership and youth. If they can piece it all together, they truly might be a postseason contender for the first time in franchise history.

Honorable Mentions

• Boston Uprising
• San Francisco Shock
• Los Angeles Gladiators
• Atlanta Reign

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