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Overwatch League franchise Atlanta Reign parted ways with two of their players ahead of the 2022 season. As revealed by the team, the Reign will continue without support Kim “lr1s” Seung-hyun and DPS Kim “Edison” Tae-hoon.
Minor Roster Changes
Atlanta Reign have decided to make minor roster changes ahead of the 2022 Overwatch League season. As revealed on Tuesday, October 12, the team has parted ways with support lr1s and DPS Edison, who enter free agency.
While a surprising move, considering Atlanta Reign’s success in 2021, they’re not the only team to make adjustments to rosters. With the Overwatch League introducing a five-man roster for the 2022 season, many other teams had to rethink their options.
With the departure of lr1s and Edison, Atlanta Reign are left with five players on their active squad. Reign’s current lineup consists of tanks Blake “Gator” Scott and Xander “Hawk” Domecq, support Petja “Masaa” Kantanen, and DPS players in Se-hyun “Pelican” Oh and Kai “Kai” Collins.
Fielding only five active players, Atlanta Reign will need to explore the free market to sign a substitute. As per Overwatch League rules for the 2022 season, each team must have six players on a season-long contract.
Two-way contracts are still available for the 2022 OWL season, and so are 30-day contracts with up to four two-way players. However, the teams can’t sign two-way or 30-day agreements if they don’t already have six players under a season-long contract.
A Successful Season
Atlanta Reign’s roster changes follow a very successful season, in which the Reign made it all the way to the OWL finals. Even though Reign lost their shot at the title, losing 0-4 against Shanghai Dragons, the North American Overwatch esports team exceeded expectations.
Given their past success, Reign’s decision to part ways with two players raises questions. Many questioned the departure of Edison, who has been one of the longest-serving members of the team and a key player in 2020.
Known as a very versatile player, Edison has showcased his ability to play several champions in 2020. Unfortunately, he did not get much playtime in 2021 and was primarily used as a substitute.
Unlike Edison, lr1s has been a crucial part of the Atlanta Reign since he joined the team in 2020. He made a name for himself as one of the top flex support players and has had quite an impact on Reign’s run to the finals in 2021.
Unfortunately, changes had to be made to accommodate the new rules, and Edison and lr1s both drew the short end of the stick. Regardless, both are considered highly talented OWL players and likely won’t have a hard time finding a new team.
What’s Next For Atlanta Reign?
It’s unclear what Atlanta Reign’s plans are for the offseason; however, it’s more than fair to say that the team are searching for a new player to sign. Already fielding two tanks and DPS players, seeing Atlanta Reign acquire additional support seems probable.
At the time of writing, several talented support players have recently joined the free agency and are available for pickup. That includes Jung “Anamo” Tae-sung, who has recently parted ways with Seoul Dynasty.
As per Overwatch League rules, each team must have a minimum of five players signed to a season-long contract by January 3, 2022. Meanwhile, they must have a complete roster of six players by March 1, 2022.
With five more months before the deadline, Atlanta Reign have plenty of time to find the sixth man. However, they will want to complete their roster as soon as possible and start building the needed synergy to compete for the title in 2022.