What Two Weeks has Taught Us

We no longer have to speculate after seeing it ourselves.

Going into Season 2 of OWL, there was no shortage of question marks hovering over The Atlanta Reign. The topics ranged from mental stability to what the 3-3 (GOATs) compositions would look like. Now that we've seen the team in action, some of these unknowns are starting to find substance. With only a three game sample to examine, nothing is definitive. Nevertheless, a picture is starting to come into focus. Faint shapes are beginning to emerge. Squint your eyes with us, friends, and let's see what we can find.

It's Not a One-Man Show

I found myself asking, "Who would I say is the MVP through these first two weeks?" I couldn't really answer that. Sure, Dafran has gone absolutely nuts at times, but Daco has looked insane on D. Va, and Masaa has some highlights under his belt as well. Dogman is exceeding just about everyone's expectations and Kodak is like this stable foundation on which the team can always depend. With Gator getting in on the action against Florida, we've seen everyone on this roster contribute to the team's early success. That's a very good sign, considering it's so early in the season.

Substitutions

There seems to be some prevalent sub packages the team prefers. Dafran, Erster, and Daco are often together on maps that favor 3-3 compositions with Pokpo being the main tank at all times. The variation comes from the support group where Atlanta freely swaps between Kodak and Dogman on Zenyatta. From what I can tell, this comes down to a preference in their different play styles on Zen more than one being better than the other. Dogman tends to be a more aggressive, high risk/reward playstyle, whereas Kodak is a bit safer in the back. There's certainly a case to be made for both, and it doesn't seem like Atlanta is at a disadvantage with either choice.

The other sub package we've seen the team deploy is NLaaer coming in for Daco. We see Atlanta pull out this lineup on maps that favor Widow. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise since NLaaer is the team's Widow specialist. With this variation, we see Erster shift over to D. Va or play a third dps. This is where things get a little dicey in my opinion. If The Reign are forced to switch back to 3-3 in this lineup they seem to be at a disadvantage. Daco is clearly the better D. Va and Erster would be my preference for Brigitte. That being said, NLaaer is a serviceable Widow and managed to hold his own for a bit against Carpe during the Philly Fusion match. I can't say I'm sold just yet, but I'm willing to give NLaaer some time to see if he isn't a liability against the more disciplined opponents. I hope Atlanta can self-scout well enough to solidify these substitutions, because having that sort of flexibility could really pay off as the season wears on.

Don't Tell Me What to do, Meta!

As dominant as 3-3 is this season, it's not the end all on every map, and Atlanta isn't afraid to mix it up. We've seen Torb, Orisa, Wrecking Ball (Hammond), Hanzo, Bastion, Junkrat, and even Mercy make an appearance on certain maps! Atlanta loves to experiment and they aren't afraid to try some off the wall methods to throw off the other team. If we learned anything last year, it's that a mid-season meta shift can leave teams reeling if they aren’t able to adjust quickly. The way that The Reign mix it up can only help to expand their ability to weather such a storm. Now that hero 30 has officially been announced, that shift could happen sooner rather than later.

This is Just Fun.

What more can we say about this team? They are a ton of fun to watch, and equally as entertaining off the stage. From Dafran‘s infamous heroes, hilarious interviews, and “Let’s go dudes!” at the crowd, to Dogman chanting “Let-it-Reign” from the stage, these guys have already embodied a gaming culture that not only jives with the fans at home, but also with the larger culture of the League.

They also possess a championship resilience that has been evident in their matches. When Toronto took map one (Busan) this past week, things weren’t looking very good. The same could be said of King’s Row against Philly, but these dudes keep fighting. There’s no panic in their eyes. They stay focused and play their game, yet they adapt when needed. This is crucial. How a team responds to adversity and pressure can never really be evaluated ahead of time. They have to be hurled headlong into the fire to see what will happen. I have to say, I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen during this small sample.

Conclusion

Each match, we acquire bits and pieces to further our understanding, but there’s a lot of Overwatch yet to be played. As we learn, so shall the rest of the League. Can The Reign continue to adapt? Can they handle the pressure of playing at the top? How high can they reach? It’s hard to say, but their trajectory is aimed in the right direction. If this team truly catches fire, the League will burn in their wake. It’s ok to be excited! It’s our job to fan the flames! It’s time to #LetItReign!