After the final pieces of confetti fell from the Dallas Fuel’s first franchise championship win, and the most competitive Grand Finals in Overwatch League history, the annual offseason bloodbath began.
Welcome to Overwatch League “rostermania,” 2023 edition.
In the months after the Grand Finals, teams make difficult decisions as to which contracts they’ll be extending into 2023 and which players will be left in the dust. Underperforming teams may make massive roster reconstruction decisions that include changes in upper management, such as coaches and general managers.
Nearly every team will make changes heading into the 2023 season, which still has an unidentified start date.
According to the 2023 roster construction rules, teams must have a minimum of five players signed by March 13, as of an announcement made Dec. 1. A date to have six players signed has not yet been announced. Teams may begin signing free agents on Dec. 23, 2022.
In order to help you keep track of these changes, which can often come in rapid succession, Dot Esports maintains this Overwatch League trade tracker throughout the “rostermania” season. Entries for daily changes are listed in reverse chronological order, meaning the newest changes will always be listed at the top. Free agents and retirements will be listed as they’re announced, but with no specific order.
Overwatch League trade tracker
March 2023
- March 13: Seoul Dynasty adds Prophet, Void, Krillin, and LeeSooMin.
- March 8: Shanghai Dragons adds Viper, Diem, Gangnamjin, Heesu, and Fleta.
- March 6: Hangzhou Spark adds Lengsa and Mmonk.
- March 5: Hangzhou Spark adds Leave, Twenty (formerly Elsa), and assistant coach Creed.
- Washington Justice adds MirroR, FDGod, and Teru. JMAC is added as assistant coach and Danny added as analyst.
- March 4: Washington Justice adds BenBest, Flora, and AlphaYi.
- March 3: Seoul Infernal adds skewed.
- March 2: Seoul Infernal adds Mag.
February 2023
- Feb. 24: Los Angeles Gladiators adds Kai.
- Feb. 22: San Francisco Shock adds Junbin.
- Feb. 21: Atlanta Reign addsDonghak.
- Feb. 20: Houston Outlaws adds Viol2t.
- Feb. 17: Los Angeles Gladiators adds Babel.
- Feb. 10: Los Angeles Gladiators adds Yaki.
January 2023
- Jan. 24: Toronto Defiant announces its 2023 roster: Coluge, s9mm, Hydron, speedily, Ojee, UltraViolet, and SirMajed.
- Jan. 19: Los Angeles Gladiators adds Danteh.
- Jan. 15: Seoul Dynasty re-signs Profit.
- Jan. 9: Hangzhou Spark names RUI as head coach.
- Jan. 5: Los Angeles Gladiators part ways with skewed.
- Jan. 4: Florida Mayhem addsSauna and CH0R0NG.
- Los Angeles Gladiators part ways with Reiner.
- Jan. 3: Hangzhou Spark parts ways with Pineapple and Superich.
- Jan. 2: Boston Uprising adds Kalios and Twilight.
- Jan. 1: Dallas Fuel adds MCD and Bliss, confirms return of SP9RK1E, Edison, and Hanbin as well as head coach RUSH.
December 2022
- Dec. 30: Shanghai Dragons welcome back head coach Moon.
- Philadelphia Fusion officially rebrands to the Seoul Infernal.
- Dec. 28: Vegas (formerly Paris) Eternal adds Vulcan.
- Dec. 27: Vancouver Titans addsSugarfree.
- JAKE retires from coaching the Houston Outlaws.
- Dec. 26: San Francisco Shock adds HeeSang, Max, and Vindaim and confirms FiNN and Proper will return in 2023.
- Dec. 24: Houston Outlaws adds Happy and head coach Neko. Junkbuck moves to director of competition.
- Dec. 23: Boston Uprising acquiresSTRIKER, Decay, Birdring, Smurf, LeeJaeGon, and IZaYaKI. Dongsu joins as head coach and Sup7eme as assistant GM.
- Dec. 10: Florida Mayhem acquires MER1T from the Houston Outlaws in a trade deal.
- Dec. 8: Washington Justice adds GetAmazed as head coach and general manager.
- Dec. 7: Hangzhou Spark parts ways with AlphaYi and Irony.
- Dec. 1: Dantehparts ways with the Houston Outlaws.
- Vancouver Titans confirms Aspire will return for 2023.
November 2022
- Nov. 30: Seoul Dynasty parts ways with Profit.
- Nov. 29: Atlanta Reign confirms vigilante will return for 2023.
- Nov. 28: Atlanta Reign confirms Hawk will return for 2023.
- Nov. 26: Shanghai Dragons tank Void officially retires.
- Nov. 25: Paris Eternal adds Empress as head coach.
- Nov. 24: Shanghai Dragons parts ways with IZaYAkI, head coach Moon, and assistant coach Kong.
- Atlanta Reign adds LIP.
- Nov. 23: Atlanta Reign acquires Stalk3r from the Seoul Dynasty, parts ways with Kai.
- Nov. 22: Atlanta Reign names Gator head coach.
- Nov. 21: Head coach Sephyretires from the Atlanta Reign.
- Philadelphia Fusion confirms head coach J1N and assistant coaches Sungmin and Chara will be returning for 2023.
- Nov. 19: Seoul Dynasty releasesFits, Smurf, Vindaim, and lr1s.
- Boston Uprising releases Punk, Crimzo, and Valentine as well as Seeker, Mag, and Victoria.
- Nov. 18: Washington Justice officially releasesOPENER, Krillin, Kalios, Assassin, and Decay. Head coach Sup7eme and Haeni also released.
- Vancouver Titans releases k1ng, MirroR, False, Skairipa, Aztac and Masaa.
- Nov. 17: San Francisco Shock releasesKilo into free agency.
- Houston Outlaws parts ways with coach HoChiLee.
- Shanghai Dragons releases LeeJaeGon.
- Nov. 16: Toronto Defiant releases MuZe and Although.
- Los Angeles Valiant officially releases Diya, Molly, Lengsa, Haker and coach Haru.
- Nov. 15: Toronto Defiant adds Casores as head coach.
- Nov. 14: Hangzhou Spark parts ways with head coach Changgoon, assistant coaches Miro and Neko, and Architect, Bernar, and Teru.
- Toronto Defiant releases Twilight and assistant coach Yang1.
- Los Angeles Gladiators updates fans on contract statuses: Kevster and FunnyAstro are retained for 2023, remainder of team is in talks but technically free agents.
- London Spitfire parts ways with Poko, Shax, and Kaan. SparkR pursues free agency. Admiral, Landon, Hadi, and Backbone are to be retained for 2023.
- New York Excelsior releases Yaki, Flora, Kellan, Gangnamjin, ANSOONJAE, and Ho1.
- Los Angeles Valiant releases INNOVATION, Becky, Ezhan, SASIN, and Marve1.
- San Francisco Shock parts ways with assistant coach Casores.
- Nov. 13: Toronto Defiant releases Heesu and coach Mobydik.
- Nov. 12: Florida Mayhem releasesXzi, Hydron, Anamo, SirMajed, and coach Dae1.
- Boston Uprising formally releases MCD, Faith, and ITSAL.
- All Dallas Fuel players enter into unrestricted free agency.
- Shanghai Dragons updates fans about player contract statuses: LIP, LeeJaeGon, and IZaYaKI will remain for 2023 while all other players enter into free agency.
- Paris Eternal releases head coach JMac, Wub, and Krawi.
- Nov. 11: Philadelphia Fusion releases five players: Belosrea, Fury, Carpe, FiXa, and AimGod. Carpe signs with T1 VALORANT. MN3 is re-signed to the Fusion along with Zest for 2023.
- Nov. 10: Houston Outlaws releases three players: Doge, Lep, and Creative.
- Boston Uprising hires PRE as general manager.
- Guangzhou Charge tank Cr0ng retires.
- Shanghai Dragons parts ways with coaches Pavane and Daemin.
- Nov. 9: Boston Uprising parts ways with head coach Ascoft.
- Nov. 7: Vancouver Titans parts ways with head coach dpei.
2023 Overwatch League free agents
Players are listed as free agents if they’ve formally announced that they’re looking for a team (abbreviated “LFT” on social media). Even if a player has been released from a team via a post or announcement, they won’t be listed unless they’ve clearly stated an intent to continue on in the Overwatch League.
Free agents are players who have been released from a team or whose contracts have expired, allowing them to hear offers from other teams. A player being announced as a free agent doesn’t mean all hope is lost for fans of their previous team, though; a free agent can hear offers from all teams, including their former organization.
Player name | Role | Previous team | Date LFT |
Venom | DPS | Atlanta Reign | Nov. 10 |
Doge | Tank | Houston Outlaws | Nov. 10 |
Creative | Support | Houston Outlaws | Nov. 10 |
Lep | Support | Houston Outlaws | Nov. 10 |
Bernar | Tank | Hangzhou Spark | Nov. 11 |
MirroR | Tank | Vancouver Titans | Nov. 11 |
AimGod | Support | Philadelphia Fusion | Nov. 11 |
Belosrea | Tank | Philadelphia Fusion | Nov. 11 |
Fury | Tank | Philadelphia Fusion | Nov. 11 |
FiXa | Support | Philadelphia Fusion | Nov. 11 |
Victoria | DPS | Boston Uprising | Nov. 11 |
Fate | Tank | Shanghai Dragons | Nov. 12 |
Mag | Tank | Boston Uprising | Nov. 12 |
Seeker | DPS | Boston Uprising | Nov. 12 |
Krawi | Tank | Paris Eternal | Nov. 12 |
wub | DPS | Paris Eternal | Nov. 12 |
guriyo | DPS | Dallas Fuel | Nov. 12 |
Valentine | DPS | Boston Uprising | Nov. 12 |
Innovation | DPS | Los Angeles Valiant | Nov. 12 |
Ezhan | DPS | Los Angeles Valiant | Nov. 12 |
Marve1 | Tank | Los Angeles Valiant | Nov. 12 |
WhoRU | DPS | Shanghai Dragons | Nov. 13 |
Anamo | Support | Florida Mayhem | Nov. 14 |
Heesu | DPS | Toronto Defiant | Nov. 14 |
Flora | DPS | New York Excelsior | Nov. 14 |
Kellan | Tank | New York Excelsior | Nov. 14 |
ANSOONJAE | Support | New York Excelsior | Nov. 14 |
Kaan | Support | London Spitfire | Nov. 14 |
OPENER | Support | Washington Justice | Nov. 14 |
Skewed | Support | Los Angeles Gladiators | Nov. 14 |
Teru | Support | Hangzhou Spark | Nov. 14 |
Architect | DPS | Hangzhou Spark | Nov. 15 |
Becky | DPS | Los Angeles Valiant | Nov. 15 |
ITSAL | Tank | Boston Uprising | Nov. 16 |
ALTHOUGH | DPS | Toronto Defiant | Nov. 16 |
MuZe | Tank | Toronto Defiant | Nov. 16 |
Diya | DPS | Los Angeles Valiant | Nov. 16 |
Kilo | DPS | San Francisco Shock | Nov. 17 |