Haksal Announces Retirement from Professional Overwatch

Kim “Haksal” Hyo-jong has retired from the professional Overwatch scene, with the news having been broken by the New York Excelsior on Wednesday. The Overwatch League’s original Rookie of the Year surprised many in making such a decision, with fans having become accustomed to seeing the popular Genii player compete.

The next step for Haksal is not yet known, with the South Korean star’s journey having begun with RunAway back in 2016. The team would become one of the most successful teams in Overwatch Contenders Korea, while it was also where Haksal gained a reputation as being one of the best DPS players in the region. Playing with his signature hero Genjii, he regularly recorded multiple kills.

What Haksal Has Achieved During His Time in Overwatch

Haksal would go on to join the overwatch League with the Vancouver Titans last year, with the North American’s having acquired the entire RunAway roster. The teenager regularly came up clutch for the team, excelling with DPS heroes and support hero Brigitte. It was such performances that saw him given the Rookie of the Year Award for the 2019 Overwatch League season.

The South Korean moved to the New York Excelsior following the Vancouver Titan’s decision to drop its all-Korean roster at the beginning of 2020. With Excelsior, Haksal regularly performed miracles with his signature hero during the 2020 season, however his team eventually missed out on qualifying for the Grand Finals, with a defeat against the Seoul Dynasty in the Lower Bracket Finals eventually proving costly.

What the Future Holds for Haksal & Excelsior

The New York Excelsior hardly made a big deal out of Haksal’s retirement decision, with the team having simply wished him the best for his “next adventure”, which we await news on. The departure of Haksal is the first move made by Excelsior during the 2020 offseason, with no other additions or releases having been made.