GTL: Esports Player Job Security & Behavior Draw Community Outcry

With so many esports events in full swing and the scene drawing more and more spotlight, professional player behavior and job security is an exponentially growing concern. Longtime Fnatic DOTA 2 player Khoo “Ohaiyo” Chong Xin was cut from the team and replaced in a post-victory team pizza party. Fnatic fans have been divided on whether the firing was fair or justified. Meanwhile, Overwatch League Dallas Fuel player xQc found himself suspended from play and fined for homophobic comments made about an opposing player following a match. Finally, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Team Splyce player David "Davey" Stafford was caught and admitted to cheating during a match in an international tournament, but received zero rammifications.

On January 19, 2018, Fnatic cut DOTA 2 player Khoo “Ohaiyo” Chong Xin from the team. Ohaiyo had been on the Fnatic DOTA 2 team for over two years as the team's offlaner and had helped them find victory in the DOTA 2 International ESL One Katowice Qualifiers. Nonetheless, he was told at a following victory pizza party that he would be replaced with Saahil ‘UNiVeRsE’ Arora, who had previously played on teams like Evil Geniuses. The replacement has divided Fnatic fans who feel Ohaiyo's firing was unfair and horrible in its timing and context. The panel discusses the nature of the firing as well as the problematic execution of it by Fnatic, questioning if a better public relations department could have better handled both the replacement and the announcement.

In the Overwatch League, more than just top-tier plays are making news. Dallas Fuel player Felix "xQc" Lengyel found himself fined and banned following a match against Houston Outlaws. Following a loss, xQc threw out a homophobic slur in a stream targetted at openly homosexual Houston Outlaws player Austin "Muma" Wilmot. The comment caught the attention of the Overwatch League who issued a fine and suspension for xQc that will carry on entirely through Stage 1 of the league. This is not the first time xQc has been in controversy, having met with in-game bans from Blizzard for throwing matches and abusing the player report system.

Discussion covers whether xQc is actually a toxic person. Should Dallas Fuel continue to give him a place on the team if he continues to hurt the brand? Will Blizzard eventually throw him out of the competitive scene for good? How much can xQc really improve and is he a risk to the brands that have enabled him?

Finally, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive professional player David "Davey" Stafford has stirred controversy around Team Splyce following confirmation of allegations that he cheated in the IEM Katowice 2018 North America Open Qualifier. Davey allegedly had his girlfriend help him stream snipe the opposition, giving him information on the other team through viewing on Twitch. Despite the confirmation of allegations, Team Splyce has done nothing to repremand Davey for his cheating, with Splyce co-owner Marty Strenczewilk claiming it was simply "a joke made in bad taste."

The panel debates whether Davey should be held better accountable or whether Splyce should be punished for allowing the cheating to continue. How does one stop this kind of cheating from happening and how can the organizers make a statement that it's something that can't be allowed?

The show has wrapped for today, but you can see it in its entirety in the video embed above.