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After the end of the New York Excelsior’s 2019 Overwatch League playoff run, DPS player Kim “Pine” Do-hyeon revealed why he didn’t play this season while streaming some games.
Big Boss Pine said that he can’t say the full story, but he told his fans that Overwatch “doesn’t agree with [him]” and that it had “different goals in game.” This could also mean that he felt that the game didn’t agree or match his playstyle, which made it harder for him to play on-stage.
He also reassured his fans and fans of NYXL that his absence from stage play wasn’t because of any mental problems. There have been many professional players who have taken hiatuses in order to give themselves a break, both physically and mentally.
He shut down any talks of being transferred to another team, but kept mentioning that it was “a sad story.” There’s clearly more issues that have occurred behind the scenes, but unless Pine or NYXL decide to speak about them, fans will probably never know.
Pine has always been one of the most exciting players to watch in the Overwatch League, but this past season prevented his style of play from flourishing too much. From the shield meta to GOATS, teams have been forced to play less flashy compositions to find success. This also means that a player like Pine might not find much playing time because of his playstyle.
Many Overwatch fans hope that Pine can find a way to return to the stage soon.
