Team UK’s dominance at this year’s World Cup signals a new age in UK competitive gaming, with a performance worlds apart to that of their previous campaign.
Released in 2016, eSports heavyweight, Overwatch is a multiplayer, first person shooter, team game which pits 12 players against each other in two teams of six to attack and defend an objective. Soon after its release, it developed its own, fully recognised world cup, which was broadcast to over 600,000 people worldwide. Despite favourites and defending champions South Korea retaining their title, this year’s Overwatch World Cup showed the vast improvement of many other teams, notably that of Team UK.
The British squad was completely overhauled in 2017. Four out of six players from the previous line-up were replaced in the hope of reaping more rewards. ChrisTfer, MikeyA, Kruise, Smex, Boombox and Realzx dominated their group with three successive wins and 12 straight rounds unbeaten, edging out a titanic US team who won 11 and lost one.
Credit: Blizzard
In an interview with the BBC before the Quarter-Final, MikeyA spoke about the team’s attitude and desire this year. He said: “We’re taking everything very seriously, we really want to win, not just for us but also for the UK and the fans. Everyone always has their eyes on South Korea, they’re the favourites, but we’re confident that we can beat them,” he added.
Earlier this year, Team UK finished top of the pack at the Santa Monica Qualifier to earn their place in this year’s Worlds Quarters. Despite falling out of the tournament to Sweden in the quarter-finals, the UK roster has made significant progress with a great string of form in 2017. Team UK’s 2017 successes will come as a breath of fresh air to UK Overwatch fans, following on from the disappointing results of last year’s roster, who failed to qualify for the 2016 World Cup.
Their performance this year has without a doubt, put the UK on the competitive gaming map, if they are able to continue to improve at this rate, it could be their names on the trophy in 2018.