The Vancouver Titans came storming out of the gate in their Overwatch League debut. Their 4-0 dismantling of the Shanghai Dragons left the Titans as the only team with a perfect map record after week 1. With a much tougher week 2 looming, Vancouver looks to maintain their position as one of the league’s top teams.
Week 1 Review
Shanghai Dragons (0-2)
In the opening week, the Titans took on the Shanghai Dragons, who were attempting to integrate YoungJin “Gamsu” Noh into the lineup as their new main tank. Vancouver certainly took advantage of the Dragons’ situation by constantly isolating and focusing Gamsu for the entire match.
In particular, the Titans excelled in their use of highly coordinated GOATs compositions. The tank heavy style allowed Vancouver to exert their will on the series through superior teamplay and quick decision making. Anytime the Dragons were able to play outside of the 3-3 meta, however, they found much greater success and even pushed Vancouver to the limit on Dorado. Vancouver will need to adapt better to out of the box styles going forward, but overall they looked incredibly solid in their first outing.
Player of the Game: SeoMinSoo
MinSoo “SeoMinSoo” Seo may be a lesser-known commodity than some of his higher-profile Titans teammates. He played sparingly during his time on Runaway, but has now emerged as the team’s Zarya specialist when they want to run GOATs compositions. Against the Dragons he was instrumental, turning fights around with his damage output and perfectly timed Graviton Surges. After one week, he stands atop the league in eliminations and fourth in damage per 10 minutes.
Week 2 Preview
Guangzhou Charge (0-1)
Guangzhou had a disappointing debut against the Chengdu Hunters last week. Despite a talented international roster, the Charge struggled to put it together on stage and fell 3-2. The loss was not without its silver linings, and the team showed off tremendous versatility throughout the matchup.
Even though they enter this game as heavy favorites, the Titans need to be wary of the Charge. A week’s time will give Guangzhou a chance to fix their mistakes and study how the Dragons were able to find occasional success last week. Vancouver will need to improve its response to unorthodox compositions because the Charge are well equipped to try new things. The Titans have the versatility to adapt on the fly, but they certainly have the edge when it comes to the predominant meta.
Prediction: Vancouver wins 3-1
Player to Watch: Twilight
Juseok “Twilight” Lee had a stellar week 1, and his ability to frag as Zenyatta is among the best in the league. He will need to maintain that performance again this week, especially against the Charge. His positioning and Discord Orbs will be crucial in tracking the many threats that Guangzhou brings to the table, especially when they play DPS heavy compositions.
San Francisco Shock (1-1)
The Shock started strong last week, with a 4-0 shellacking of the Dallas Fuel. After being hailed as one of the league’s best teams, they looked shaky the second time out and fell to the Gladiators 3-2. The target focus and teamplay they exhibited against Dallas gave way to iffy positioning and individual play and left the Shock looking mortal after Week 1.
Still, the Shock are an incredibly dangerous opponent, with immense talent at every position. In week 2, they will welcome Minki “Viol2t” Park back to the roster after a 2 game suspension. San Francisco represents the biggest challenge Vancouver will face to this point in the season, and the Titans will need to fix some of their issues if they want to handle the threat posed by the Shock.
Prediction: Vancouver wins 3-2
Player to Watch: Bumper
Sangbeom “Bumper” Park had an up-and-down showing during Week 1. His Reinhardt was dominant, and nearly every Earthshatter seemed to find value. His Winston, on the other hand, was frequently out of position and was often the first target to die. If he can return to his old ways on Winston, he should get the better of Matthew “super” DeLisi in the crucial main tank matchup.
Conclusion
The Titans have a much tougher road ahead of them in week 2. They will have a harder time relying solely on their superior GOATs prowess to win the day. Still, they look to be one of the best in the league on 3-3 comps, and that will always set them up for success in this meta.
Featured image courtesy of Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment.
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