Often when covering the Overwatch League, we look at the stunning plays like San Francisco's dominance in the Stage 2 Finals. However, a video released this weekend by YouTuber Subutai Overwatch showcases some of the more emotional moments on the other end of the spectrum.
“Overwatch League But It’s Extremely Sad” is a one-and-a-half minute series of clips that sell the League harder than any Krusher99 video. Within it, the editor has been able to really latch onto genuine moments that display the intense emotions that players find themselves under. Edited to the over-the-top sad song "Fix You" by Coldplay, it's hard to tell at first whether the video is meant to be silly or impactful.
Some of the clips were what you would expect—a very sad Super (Matthew "Super" DeLisi), a sad Bumper (Sang-beom "Bumper" Park), any clip of the Shanghai Dragons during the league’s inaugural season—however, there were some parts that made my eyes well up like I had just watched, “My Girl.” Subutai received help sourcing some of these moments from their followers on Twitter.
What are the saddest/most emotional moments of OWL?
— Subutai (@Subutai_OW) May 17, 2019
The most effective of these is an unexpected shot of Dennis "INTERNETHULK" Hawelka, which fades in just as Coldplay sings out “When you lose something you can't replace.” While he never played in the Overwatch League, Hawelka was an important and positive voice in the early days of Overwatch, playing for teams like IDDQD and more recognizably Team EnVyUs (which won the first season of Overwatch APEX). At the age of 30, Hawelka passed away unexpectedly of an enlarged heart. In his honor, the Overwatch League created the Dennis Hawelka Award, which would be given to the player who had the most positive impact on the community.
I thought this would be a funny meme but I was genuinely moved while watching. Good work with this. I miss Dennis. So many sick moments in OWL too.
— Josh Wilkinson (@SideshowGaming) May 19, 2019
Perhaps it goes without saying, then, that the second time I was hit right in the feels was as the song takes a positive turn and we see Pongphop "Mickie" Rattanasangchod receiving the Dennis Hawelka Award. In life, Hawelka had been impressed with Mickie’s dedication and positivity, and had worked hard to secure the D.Va player a position on Team EnVyUs.
All-in-all, this video does an amazing job illustrating just how much is actually happening at the Overwatch League. It’s not just the final scores or the number of gravs eaten, it’s a selection of young athletes working their hardest in the high-pressure, ever-fluctuating world of esports.
