Who are ENCE
Known for their decade-long dominance in Valve's Counter-Strike, ENCE is a staple of European esports. With over $2,400,000 in tournament winnings, 50+ players, and 200+ tournament representations in Counter-Strike alone, ENCE brings experience in tier-one esports to Overwatch. They fielded a team in Overwatch's pre-OWL scene for a short while, and their return is big news for the scene.
Why ENCE is important
As Blizzard parted ways with their Overwatch league, they also bid farewell to all tier-one investment, with only one remaining franchise in competition: the Toronto Defiant. With the overall mismanagement of the league, nonexistent profit margins, and an unfortunate pandemic canceling Blizzard's plan to pivot towards the homestand model, the hesitation of outside esports orgs is not unexpected. ENCE, along with Spacestation, M80, and YFP show that there is interest in the new competitive format, and signals that there is growth potential in OWCS. Players and viewers alike benefit from the stability that organizations bring. Players benefit from playing under an experienced org, able to dedicate more time to their craft without having to worry about an outside job, managing their teammates, or more complex issues such as travel visas or venue booking.
Who did they sign?
With the vast majority of ENCE's former players being Finnish, it is no surprise who they set their eyes on. BuboSprayCheck is captained by LhCloudy and comprises Vestola, Kai, kevster, Masaa, ghost91, and player-coach Crimzo. (While Sauna was on BuboSprayCheck, he has not been signed by ENCE.) The roster is coached by 2023 Overwatch League Coach of the Year Gunba and former Houston Outlaws and Vancouver Titans player Crimzo. They cruised through the Group Stage and only suffered one loss in Swiss to Saudi Arabian juggernaut Twisted Minds. Their roster primarily consists of Finnish players, with only Kevster of Sweden, and Kai, of Great Britain, as outliers. It's a full-circle moment for LhCloudy, returning to ENCE after six years, having been a part of their 2017 Overwatch roster. With many of the players having years-long synergy together, it's Dreamhack or bust for ENCE's new star-studded roster.
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