Casting duo Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles and Erik “DoA” Lonnquist will leave OGN in South Korea to cast Overwatch on the game’s largest stage: Blizzard’s Overwatch League.
Mykles and Lonnquist will cast their last OGN Overwatch APEX match on April 8 during the second season’s grand finals, where RunAway and Lunatic-Hai will face off in Korea University’s Tiger Dome. After spending years in Korea casting various games, both Mykles and Lonnquist will return to the United States for the North America-based Overwatch League.
Overwatch League is expected to begin in Q3 2017, which would put the start sometime after July.
“Obviously we will serve as broadcasters for the Overwatch League once it begins in Q3 of 2017, but we’re also excited to serve as consultants to Blizzard as the broadcast and shoulder content takes shape,” Mykles told ESPN. “One of the most compelling aspects of moving back to the States is the opportunity to help build a show from the ground up that resonates with fans as an authentic esports product rather than overreaching into outdated models from traditional sports.”
With 11 years of casting experience between the two, Mykles and Lonnquist are looking to bring their game knowledge and casting experience to the Overwatch League—lending it the respect OGN has earned from its fans.
“It’s been awesome working with [Mykles] and [Lonnquist] at the Overwatch World Cup and at APEX,” Overwatch League commissioner Nate Nanzer told ESPN. “As one of the best casting duos in the industry, their professionalism and knowledge of Overwatch and the esports space made it an easy decision for us to bring them over to Blizzard in an official capacity as we continue preparing for the Overwatch League. We can’t wait to see them behind the desk.”
International fans of the Overwatch APEX won’t have to worry about the English language stream disappearing, either: Chris “Papa” Smith, Seth “Achilios” King, and Max “Atlus” Anderson will take over casting duties following Mykles and Lonnquist’s departure, Mykles said.
Mykles and Lonnquist couldn’t have picked a better match to leave Korea on: RunAway versus Lunatic-Hai will compete for the title of Overwatch APEX champions April 8 at 6pm KST (5am EST).
H/T ESPN
