The Overwatch League has been a massively popular event since its inception. It streams to enormous audiences and sells out Blizzard’s eSports arena in California regularly. The teams on display showcase some of the most skilled players in the game’s two-year lifespan. But the Shanghai Dragons are not in a particularly grand spot. At 0-9, the Dragons are at the absolute bottom of the rankings. Improvements have been on the rise. The team only narrowly lost to both the Philadelphia Fusion and the Dallas Fuel in recent games. It seems, however, that they reportedly aim to correct this with some new recruits. Chief among them is none other than Kim “Geguri” Se-yeon.
Whether the problem is discipline or just not having the right players for a given situation, the Dragons have been suffering. However, fans have been crying out for further diversity among the players in the Overwatch League. And Geguri’s recruitment would seem to be a major step, being the first woman signed to any team. That said, the widespread argument for more diversity in the OWL can’t be ignored. Though, if Geguri had her way, it would be.
Geguri’s argument is that she doesn’t want to have been chosen solely because she’s a woman. She wants to have been picked because she, as any other player, has the skill to warrant her recruitment. And this is an argument that many would agree with. Overwatch League is, at the end of the day, a sport. Diversity is a wonderful thing but the game is about selecting the best players for your team. This is Geguri’s perspective. She wants to be chosen because she was the best player for the job. Hopefully, if she is signed to the team, she’ll be good enough to really give the Dragons some help.
Stage 1 of the Overwatch League is nearing its end. At the time of writing this, the Dallas Fuel has managed to barely defeat the Dragons, making the Dragons the only team who hasn’t claimed a victory. The pro scene has never looked quite this explosive, and as the season continues, the matches promise to only get better.
