An era-defining Overwatch League star in Lee “Carpe” Jae-hyeok is formally transferring on from the sport after a rare and prolonged professional profession, becoming a member of the T1 VALORANT roster for the 2023 season within the VCT Pacific League.
The Philadelphia Fusion, whom Carpe has performed for in all 5 seasons of OWL, bid farewell to the dynamic DPS begin right now, as he takes on his “subsequent problem” of enjoying professional VALORANT for T1, the esports group owned by the identical group that owns the Fusion. Studies of Carpe heading to VALORANT first surfaced at the end of October, days earlier than Fusion had been eradicated from the 2022 OWL playoffs.
He’ll be part of two different OWL veterans on T1 in Ha “Sayaplayer” Jung-woo (previously with Florida Mayhem and The Guard VALORANT) and Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom (previously Seoul Dynasty, Boston Rebellion, and Loopy Raccoon VALORANT). All three will play in Asia’s Pacific League, which incorporates a handful of different former OWL huge names like Park “Bazzi” Jun-ki on World Esports and Patiphan “Patiphan” Chaiwong on Talon Esports.
In his farewell video, Carpe mentioned his 5 yr run with the Fusion was “really treasured, unforgettable and honorable,” and mentioned he’ll at all times be “rooting for this staff endlessly.” Up till right now’s transfer, Carpe had been one of many longest-standing gamers in your entire League, and is the one participant to have performed with a single staff for all 5 seasons.
Per Liquipedia, he gained the Function Star award for DPS gamers in season three, and was the primary OWL participant to achieve 4000 complete closing blows. Carpe and the Fusion sadly by no means gained the OWL Championship throughout his 5 yr run, however they reached the grand finals of playoffs through the inaugural season, and he helped Korea win the Overwatch World Cup in 2018.
Carpe’s official VALORANT debut will probably be on the VCT 2023 Kickoff match in Sao Paulo, Brazil in February.
