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The Overwatch League’s offseason has seen plenty of twists and turns. Some teams dropped star players and nuked the lion’s share of their rosters, while others invested in retaining their talent ahead of the 2020 season.
To add another layer of complexity to the equation, next year’s season will include a series of homestand games, held in the home cities of each team. The league’s lineup is global, with teams hailing from Houston to Hangzhou, and the extra travel costs are one of the many changes teams will have to be mindful of for 2020.
League rules dictate that all teams should have at least eight players under contract by Nov. 15 (even if they don’t have to announce them to the public), and it’s easy to get lost in the sea of transactions that took place since the end of season two.
To help keep track of who’s wearing which colors, we’ve compiled a list of teams’ contract status for the Overwatch League 2020 season, as of Nov. 15. It takes into account official confirmations by the teams, as well as the League’s official information as of Oct. 4. If a player’s 2019 season contract is still valid, but hasn’t been officially confirmed by the team or hasn’t found another home, they will be listed with a “under contract” next to their name. This list will not be updated regularly, and will reflect the roster state as of the time of its writing, on Nov. 15.
Atlanta Reign
Officially signed:
- Kim “Edison” Tae-hoon (DPS)
- Hugo “SharP” Sahlberg (DPS)
- Blake “Gator” Scott (Tank)
- Xander “Hawk” Domecq (Tank)
The Reign dropped support Daniel “Funnyastro” Hathaway, tank Seo “Daco” Dong-hyeong and DPS Ilya “NLaaeR” Koppalov. Almost all of its roster were listed as team options, which means that the team may have a vast array of players to choose from. Still, as things stand, the Reign hasn’t officially announced any supports heading in the next season.
Boston Uprising
Officially signed:
- Min “Jerry” Tae-hui (DPS)
- Kelsey “Colourhex” Birse (DPS) (under contract)
- Walid “Mouffin” Bassal (Tank)
- Park “Axxiom” Min-seob (Tank) (under contract)
- Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth (Tank) (under contract)
- Seo “Myunbong” Sang-min (Support)
- Gabriel “Swimmer” Levy (Support)
One of the teams who exercised the nuclear option, the Uprising dropped six players in one swift blow. To shore up its ranks, it invested heavily on Overwatch Contenders players. Of its 2019 roster, only Axxiom, Fusions, and Colourhex haven’t been released. Assuming their contracts are retained for the 2020 season, the Uprising still needs another player to fill up its ranks.
Chengdu Hunters
Officially signed:
- Tzu-Heng “Baconjack” Lo (DPS) (under contract)
- Hu “Jinmu” Yi (DPS) (under contract)
- Zhihao “Yangxiaolong” Zhang (DPS) (under contract)
- Menghan “Ameng” Ding (Tank) (under contract)
- Wenjie “Elsa” Lou (Tank) (under contract)
- Yansong “Jiqiren” Wei (Tank) (under contract)
- Tianbin “Lateyoung” Ma (Tank) (under contract)
- Li “Garry” Guan (Support) (under contract)
- Chunting “Kyo” Kong (Support) (under contract)
- Xianyao “Yveltal” Li (Support) (under contract)
One of the expansion teams that joined the fray in the 2019 season, all of Chengdu’s players are listed as under contract after a modest 12th place in the second season, and the Hunters can breeze through the Nov. 15 deadline.
Dallas Fuel
Officially signed:
- Jang “Decay” Gui-un (DPS)
- Kim “Doha” Dong-Ha (DPS)
- Dylan “AKM” Bignet (DPS) (under contract)
- Timo “Taimou” Kettunen (DPS) (under contract)
- Zachary “Zachareee” Lombardo (DPS) (under contract)
- Noh “Gamsu” Young-jin (Tank)
- Pongphop “Mickie” Rattanasangchod (Tank) (under contract)
- Ash “Trill” Powell (Tank) (under contract)
- Won-Sik “Closer” Jung (Support) (under contract)
- Jonathan “Harryhook” Tejedor Rua (Support) (under contract)
- Benjamin “Unkoe” Chevasson (Support) (under contract)
Florida Mayhem
Officially signed:
- Koo “Fate” Pan-seung (under contract)
- Ha “Sayaplayer” Jung-woo (under contract)
The Mayhem has been atypically quiet for an offseason. Other than demolishing part of its 2019 roster, it hasn’t said a word about its plans for the offseason. The only officially announced players hail from its 2019 campaign.
Guangzhou Charge
Officially signed:
- Ou “Eileen” Yiliang (DPS)
- Charlie “nero” Zwarg (DPS)
- Lee “Happy” Jung-woo (DPS)
- Oh “Rio” Seung-pyo (Tank)
- Nam “Crong” Ki-cheol (Tank)
- Kim “Chara” Jung-yeon (Support)
- Kim “Shu” Jin-seo (Support)
- Alberto “neptuNo” González Molinillo (Support)
- Qi “Wya” Haomiao (Support)
The Charge’s 2020 lineup will be permeated by familiar names from this season. The team opted to release five of its players, including tank prodigy Aaron “Bischu” Kim, but snagged NeptuNo off the Philadelphia Fusion. The team filled the eight-player requirement yesterday when it signed three players in a single stroke of the pen.
Hangzhou Spark
Officially signed:
- Jae-Hwan “Adora” Kang (DPS) (under contract)
- Kyeong-Bo “Godsb” Kim (DPS) (under contract)
- Sang-Hyun “Sasin” Song (DPS) (under contract)
- Shilong “Krystal” Cai (DPS) (under contract)
- Qiulin “Guxue” Xu (Tank) (under contract)
- Sung-Wook “Ria” Park (Tank) (under contract)
- Hee-Chang “Bebe” Yoon (Support) (under contract)
- Ho-Jin “IDK” Park (Support) (under contract)
The Spark had little incentive to alter its roster. Most of its players were still under contract from the 2019 season, and the team’s fourth-place performance shows that there was hardly the need to change.
Houston Outlaws
Officially signed:
- João Pedro “Hydration” Goes Telles (DPS)
- Jeffrey “Blasé” Tsang (DPS)
- Jake “Jake” Lyon (DPS) (under contract)
- Jiri “Linkzr” Masalin (DPS) (under contract)
- Matt “Coolmatt” Iorio (Tank) (under contract)
- Austin “Muma” Wilmot (Tank) (under contract)
- Alexandre “Spree” Vanhomwegen (Tank) (under contract)
- Shane “Rawkus” Flaherty (Support) (under contract)
The Outlaws preserved most of its lineup, which hails back from the Overwatch League’s inaugural season. The team’s lineup is more than solid, although its hypertrophied DPS roster could raise questions. In addition, Rawkus, the only support under contract, needs an extra pair of hands for 2020.
Los Angeles Gladiators
Officially signed:
- Indy “SPACE” Halpern (Tank)
- Son “OGE” Min-seok (Tank)
- Kim “Birdring” Ji-hyeok (DPS)
- Gia Huy “Chris” “MirroR” Trịnh (DPS)
- Nolan “Paintbrush” Edwards (Support)
- Aaron “Bischu” Kim (Tank)
- Benjamin “BigGoose” Isohanni (Support)
- Jonas “Shaz” Suovaara (Support)
The Gladiators ditched their famous DPS duo, Hydration and Lane “Surefour” Roberts. They also drafted tanks Bischu and Space, and season one champion Birdring as a DPS. The team also renewed its contract with supports Shaz and Biggoose.
Los Angeles Valiant
Officially signed:
- Damon “Apply” Conti (DPS)
- Kyle “KSF” Frandanisa (DPS) (under contract)
- Song “Dreamer” Sang-lok (Tank)
- Caleb “McGravy” McGarvey (Tank)
- Scott “Custa” Kennedy (Support)
- Mun “Lastro” Jung-won (Support)
- Owen “Slur” Warner (Support)
The Valiant is recovering from its offseason moves that drained them of their star players Brady “Agilities” Girardi, Park “KariV” Young-seo and Space. DPS Johannes “Shax” Nielson could be the player they need to reach the eight-player limi. He’s listed as a team option in the Overwatch League website and could be the one to fill the team’s extra DPS slot. Without Shax, the Valiant still need to sign one player.
London Spitfire
Officially signed:
- Shin “Bernar” Se-won (Tank)
- Kim “Fuze” Tae-hoon (Support)
- Jung “Krillin” Yung-hoon (Support) (under contract)
The Spitfire gradually yet thoroughly disassembled its inaugural season champion team. Its squad was scattered around many of its competitors, and in spite of cryptic Twitter posts and signing teases, the team only officially announced three players to its roster.
New York Excelsior
Officially signed:
- Tae-Sung “Anamo” Jung (Support) (under contract)
- Seong-Hyun “Jjonak” Bang (Support) (under contract)
- Hae-Seong “Libero” Kim (DPS) (under contract)
- Choi “Hotba” Hong-joon (Tank)
- Dong-Gyu “Mano” Kim (Tank) (under contract)
- Yeon-Gwan “Nenne” Jeong (DPS) (under contract)
- Do-Hyeon “Pine” Kim (DPS) (under contract)
- Jong-Ryeol “Saebyeolbe” Park (DPS) (under contract)
The Excelsior’s roster hasn’t changed much in the past two years. Its core players have been with the team since the league’s inaugural season, but that’s because there is little incentive to change since the team has been a force to be reckoned with. The team gave up Kim “MekO” Tae-hong during the offseason, but found a substitute in Guangzhou Charge’s Hotba.
Paris Eternal
Officially signed:
- Nicolas “Nicogdh” Moret (DPS)
- Terence “Soon” Tarlier (DPS)
- Kim “SP9RK1E” Young-han (DPS)
- Jung “Xzi” Kihyo (DPS)
- Benjamin “Benbest” Dieulafait (Tank)
- Choi “Hanbin” Hanbin (Tank)
- Luís “Greyy” Perestrelo (Support)
- Damien “Hyp” Souville (Support)
- Harrison “Kruise” Pond (Support)
The Paris Eternal threw in a pinch of mysticism by signing former Element Mystic players SP9RKIE, Hanbin and Xzi. It also retained most of its season two talent, including its entire support roster and OWL veteran soon. The team already has more players than needed to pass the Nov. 15 deadline.
Philadelphia Fusion
Officially signed:
- Lee “Carpe” Jae-hyeok (DPS)
- Josue “Eqo” Corona (DPS)
- Lee “Ivy” Seung-hyun (DPS)
- Kim “Fury” Jun-ho (Tank)
- Gael “Poko” Gouzerch (Tank)
- Kim “Sado” Su-min (Tank)
- Kim “Alarm” Kyung-bo (Support)
- Isaac “Boombox” Charles (Support)
- Daniel “FunnyAstro” Hathaway (Support)
There were big name pickups for the Philadelphia Fusion in the offseason, like world champion Fury and rising star FunnyAstro. The team managed to retain its star players like Poko and Carpe, as well as to drag EQO back into its roster.
San Francisco Shock
Officially signed:
- Park “Architect” Min-Ho (DPS) (under contract)
- Kim “Rascal” Dong-Jun (DPS) (under contract)
- Jay “Sinatraa” Won (DPS) (under contract)
- Gwon “Striker” Nam-Ju (DPS) (under contract)
- Choi “Choihyobin” Hyo-Bin (Tank) (under contract)
- Yoo “Smurf” Myeong-Hwan (Tank) (under contract)
- Matthew “Super” DeLisi (Tank) (under contract)
- Grant “Moth” Espe (Support) (under contract)
- Park “Viol2t” Min-Ki (Support) (under contract)
“Don’t change a winning team” has never sounded more true. The Overwatch League season two champions head into 2020 with their roster preserved nearly in its entirety, with the exception of Andreas “Nevix” Karlsson, who entered free agency.
Seoul Dynasty
Officially signed:
- Park “Profit” Joon-yeong (DPS)
- Kim “Fits” Dong-Eon (DPS) (under contract)
- Je-Min “Illicit” Park (DPS) (under contract)
- Hong “Gesture” Jae-hee (Tank)
- Hwang “Marve1” Min-Seo (Tank) (under contract)
- Choi “Michelle” Min-Hyuk (Tank) (under contract)
- Kim “Creative” Young-wan (Support)
- Yang “Tobi” Jin-mo (Support)
- Lee “Highly” Sung-Hyuk (Support) (under contract)
The Dynasty went through visceral changes in the offseason as it said goodbye to veteran players Ryu “Ryujehong” Je-hong and Kim “Fleta” Byung-sun. It also signed season one champions Profit and Gesture. Assuming the team maintains its contracts from the previous season, they’re more than stocked with players for the Nov. 15 deadline.
Shanghai Dragons
Officially signed:
- Yang “DDing” Jin-hyeok (DPS)
- Bae “Diem” Min-song (DPS)
- Lu “Diya” Weida (DPS)
- Kim “Fleta” Byung-sun (DPS)
- Lee “envy” Kang-jae (Tank)
- Kim “Geguri” Se-yeon (Tank)
- Yang “Luffy” Seong-hyeon (Support)
- Kim “Izayaki” Min-chul (Support)
The Dragons had the apex of its redemption arc during the Overwatch League’s second season. Not only did the team manage to break a 42-game losing streak, they were also crowned the stage 3 champions. The offseason stripped them of players such as Gamsu and Jin “YoungJin” Young-Jin, but gave them star DPS Fleta in return.
Toronto Defiant
Officially signed:
- Brady “Agilities” Girardi (DPS)
- Lane “Surefour” Roberts (DPS)
- Liam “Mangachu” Campbell (DPS)
- Adam “Beast” Denton (Tank)
- Andreas “Nevix” Karlsson (Tank)
- Kristian “Kellex” Keller (Support)
- Park “KariV” Young-seo (Support)
- Andreas “Logix” Berghmans (DPS)
After finishing the season at 17th place, the Defiant made some hefty investments to snag star duo Agilities and KariV, as well as the deadly Surefour. The team has eight players under contract and doesn’t need to rush any more signings to reach the Nov. 15 deadline.
Vancouver Titans
Officially signed:
- Kim “Haksal” Hyo-Jong (DPS) (under contract)
- Seo “Seominsoo” Min-Soo (DPS) (under contract)
- Lee “Hooreg” Dong-Eun (DPS) (under contract)
- Sang-Beom “Bumper” Park (Tank) (under contract)
- Choi “Jjanu” Hyun-Woo (Tank) (under contract)
- Kim “Slime” Seong-Jun (Support) (under contract)
- Lee “Stitch” Chung-Hee (DPS) (under contract)
- Lee “Twilight” Ju-Seok (Support) (under contract)
The Titans’ offseason was uneventful. The team hasn’t officially announced new additions to its roster, but has enough players under contract from the previous season to think comfortably about its next steps.
Washington Justice
Officially signed:
- Corey “Corey” Nigra (DPS)
- Lee “TTuba” Ho-sung (DPS)
- Ethan “Stratus” Yankel (DPS)
- Gye “rOar” Chang-hoon (Tank)
- Elliot “Ellivote” Vaneryd (Tank)
- Lukas “Lullsish” Wiklund (Tank)
- Kwon “Aimgod” Min-seok (Support)
The Washington Justice is undergoing heavy reconstruction. The team dropped its entire active tank line and coaching staff between seasons. Tank duo Ellivote and Lullsish were forbidden to play on the Overwatch League past season, but they will debut in 2020. Even with the reinforcements, the team is still one player away from completing its roster, as per League rules.
