The Overwatch League’s future is uncertain following an Activision Blizzard financial report yesterday that disclosed the league is offering $6 million termination fees to teams that wish to leave after the 2023 season. But at least for now, it appears as though some teams are approaching the situation by saying “the show must go on.”
The Guangzhou Charge on Thursday announced the addition of Chinese tank player Qui “GA9A” Jiaxin to its roster. Jiaxin joins the team one month after his former team, the Chengdu Hunters officially disbanded.
The 23-year-old player is known for playing Winston, Reinhardt, and Wrecking Ball. Given the current professional meta, he will likely spend most of his time on Winston. The addition of Jianxin comes at the same time that the team announced it is parting ways with Shin “Piggy” Min-jun.
Terms of Jiaxin’s agreement with the team were not disclosed so it’s unclear if his contract is intended to keep him on the team for more than just the rest of the 2023 season. Regardless, the move indicates that the uncertain future of the Overwatch League is not stopping the Charge from doing whatever it feels is necessary to finish out the current season strong.
Related: The Overwatch League isn’t dead (yet), but pros and caster are already getting nostalgic
Due to the Hunters’ inactivity, Jiaxin hasn’t played a professional match since late last year. Meanwhile, the Charge’s most recent result was playing fifth in the East’s Spring Stage Knockouts after winning just one of their three matchups in the double-elimination bracket. The lackluster performance came despite the team posting a 4-1 record in qualifying that put them at the top of the East after qualifiers.
