Even as the 2021 Overwatch League season passes its halfway mark, the Hangzhou Spark is making important roster changes. The team announced today that it’s parting ways with main tank Lee “Takoyaki” Young-hyun, who will be entering free agency.
Before joining the Hangzhou Spark during the 2020 offseason, Takoyaki played for Overwatch Contenders teams like Team Diamond, Meta Athena, and Element Mystic. After becoming eligible to play in the league in April, he took on the main tank role in one match on behalf of the Spark.
He was essentially picked up to fill in the hero gaps of Hangzhou’s starting main tank, Xu “guxue” Qiulin, who’s known for his Winston expertise. Over the course of the season, however, guxue has shown a willingness to flex to other main tanks as the meta has evolved and changed. He’s once again the sole main tank for the Spark following Takoyaki’s departure.
Last week, Hangzhou parted ways with longtime DPS Kim “GodsB” Kyeon-bo, indicating that the team is looking to make big changes as the season progresses. With a 6-4 record at the midpoint of the season, placing them solidly in the middle of the East Region leaderboard, the Spark roster is looking to deliver on promises to improve for its dedicated fans.
Hangzhou’s next match is against the New York Excelsior on July 9 at 4am CT.
