EFFECT, previously a sub for Meta Athena, has been struggling with coordinating the next steps of his professional Overwatch career. The former flex player is renowned for being one of the top Tracer players in Korea, and was most recently a part of Meta’s Bellum team, playing in the APEX Challengers League as a damage dealer and sub-tank. However, EFFECT has more recently been spotted practicing with the North American team Team SoloMid. This lead to EFFECT being offered a contract from the organization, as noted in some recent tweets made by the player:

Here’s a rough translation of the tweets:

Tweet 1:

I’m in a dilemma. I don’t know if I should go to an overseas team [TSM] or stay in Korea. I’m having a hard time deciding. I have passed all of the tests, and just need to sign the contract to join the foreign team. The contract conditions aren’t bad, but I’m concerned with moving overseas. It’s as if I’m gambling right now.

Tweet 2:

I’ve applied to Lunatic-hai, but I’m not expecting much because of their elevated level and my lack of experience. I also won’t be livestreaming anymore for the time being. However, I will be continuing to upload videos to YouTube. Don’t feel too upset for my absence from livestreaming.

This is monumental in professional Overwatch as it potentially marks the first instance of a Korean player moving to a western team. Although Bishop was previously signed as a coach for Cloud9, no professional players have moved from the Korean scene yet. EFFECT’s hesitation towards signing with the organization has been reflected in other previous high-profile free agents who have been approached by the team. As harsha noted in a previous article, the organization has been approaching Korean players, albeit with mixed results. We’ll have to see if his excellent tracking and talent are enough to overcome the language and cultural barriers that are currently preventing him from immediately signing the contract. Currently, it is speculated that Team SoloMid's current roster is: Taylor "b1am" Forrest (Support) and Connor "ConnorJ" Johnson (DPS).