After a tumultuous begin to the offseason for the Shanghai Dragons, with the whole participant roster and training workers leaving whereas issues in regards to the Overwatch League’s future in China arose, the season 4 champions have introduced not less than one acquainted face again for 2023.
The group introduced right now that it has re-signed coach Moon Byung-chul, a longtime coach who’s held the top coach place in Shanghai for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons. Moon coached the group via a resurgent 2020 season for the Dragons and thru their completely dominant 2021 season that resulted in an OWL championship.
Welcome residence！
The marvelous BOSS @moonbyungchul89 is again for OWL2023！팀의 2023시즌을 다시 한번 이끌어줄 그분이 돌아오셨습니다! “달빛”의 귀환, 상하이 드래곤즈의 영원한 멘토, 문병철 감독님의 복귀를 알려드립니다! pic.twitter.com/Sa7VhXYgwz
— Shanghai Dragons (@ShanghaiDragons) December 30, 2022
However Shanghai’s plans of repeating fell aside in 2022, posting a median common season report far under the expectations of a reigning champion and a fast exit within the playoffs, regardless of retaining a overwhelming majority of its championship roster from the 12 months earlier than.
The whole roster itself for Shanghai in 2023 stays to be decided nonetheless. Earlier in November, the group parted methods with a lot of the beginning roster, together with some huge names like Fleta, Destiny, and Void. The group appeared at first to be retaining DPS participant LIP and legendary help duo Iazyaki and LeeJaeGon, however lower than two weeks later, LIP left for Atlanta Reign, whereas the 2 help gamers signed with a stacked Boston Rebellion group.
The group additionally introduced it’s internet hosting “open trials” for its roster.
The Overwatch League’s presence in China itself is presently in a state of flux following the expiration of 15-year-old licensing agreements between Blizzard and Chinese language PC and cellular gaming firm NetEase final month. The deal expiring resulted within the “suspension” of video games in China and was adopted by the league’s determination to delay the beginning of the free company interval, which upset some groups.
The free company deadline remains to be set for March 13, 2023.