Overwatch fans have become accustomed to talent moving from the East to the West, with a flood of Koreans joining North American teams such as Immortals, Team Liquid and Cloud9. MEGA Esport's announcement is the reverse of that trend, with Brad "PYYYOUR" Ross joining Thai team MEGA Thunder as head coach.
PYYYOUR was last seen playing for Splyce before the organisation released its roster and the players went their separate ways. PYYYOUR captained the team throughout it's days as Fine, I'll go McCree and under the banner of the snake.
The MEGA Thunder roster was recently acquired from Fireball by MEGA Esports, a newly formed organisation focused on ventures into Southeast Asian esports. Mega Thunder competed in the first season of the Pacific Championship, placing sixth after three months of regular season play. Whilst the team's struggles throughout the tournament were evident, they managed to avoid risk of relegation by placing above DeToNator.Gold and SunSister. Notable improvement could be seen after adding tank player Teetawatv3 to the team in early June.
PYYYOUR had this to say about joining MEGA Thunder:
My aspirations have always been to be part of the support staff and help advance talent within a dynamic organization. With Blizzard’s business outreach and plans for the Overwatch League, I have been eager to position myself for just that. I'm excited for the opportunity to travel abroad and contribute to the long term development of MEGA Esports.
He also received high praise from MEGA Esport's Brand Manager, Hardy Pace:
It only takes a short conversation with Brad to recognize that he not only has the drive and ambition required by anyone who wishes to succeed in esports, but also the knowledge of both Overwatch and team dynamics that will one day create champions. Everyone here at MEGA Esports is confident in Brad’s ability to handle the ever-important task of providing our players with the guidance, both inside and outside of the game, that will nurture their already impressive talent.
PYYYOUR will join the Thunder at their team house in Bangkok as they prepare for the second season of the Pacific Championship.
The MEGA Thunder roster is now:
- Ubon "oPuTo" Dara (DPS)
- Sasalak "NzNr" Wannara (DPS)
- Chollatij "Nearlygod9th" Nongnuc (Flex)
- Teetawat "Teetawatv3" Teerayosyotin (Tank)
- Vatunyoo "KeRLos" Suwannapisi (Support)
- Vuthichai "Rocket" Posawad (Support)
- Bradford "PYYYOUR" Ross (Coach)