The current Rookie of the Year in Overwatch League, Kim “Haksal” Hyo-jong, will be retiring from professional Overwatch.
The announcement made by the New York Excelsior on Wednesday left many in surprise. The longtime fans of the illustrious Genji player will now have to wait to know his future plan. It is expected that his future plans beyond the Overwatch League would be announced soon.
After beginning his professional journey as a part of RunAway, Haksal became one of the most successful players in Overwatch Contenders Korea. Hie didn’t stop there as he quickly built up a reputation in the game. He is touted to be one of the most flex DPS players in the region, as he continuously scored multiple kills on his signature hero, Genji.
The New York Excelsior, in their announcement, described Haksal as one of the greatest Genji players of all time. The organization further lauded the player for his contribution to the team’s development during his memorable career.
Appreciating Haksal for his contributions, the New York Excelsior wished him all the best in his next adventure.
He was featured in the Overwatch League after joining the Vancouver Titans in 2019. The organization would later enjoy picking up the RunAway roster as Haksal excelled across multiple metas, both DPS heroes and support hero Brigitte.
He was able to live up to by coming in the clutch on an off role whenever his team needs him. His efforts in 2019 were eventually rewarded with the league’s first Rookie of the Year award.
After the Vancouver Titans organization, he joined the New York Excelsior and dropped the team’s all-Korean roster in early 2020.
Haksal, within his repertoire, brought out his signature Genji and other heroes during the 2020 season.
His contribution almost took the New York Excelsior to the 2020 Grand Finals, which they narrowly missed after losing to the Seoul Dynasty in the lower bracket finals.
Written by Oladipupo Mojeed
