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The Final Piece: Overwatch veteran “Carpe” set to move to T1 Valorant roster
Another Overwatch Phenom
Overwatch veteran Lee “Carpe” Jae-hyeok is set to move on to Valorant, rounding out the T1 active roster. This report would come from blix.gg, where multiple sources in the Korean region have confirmed “Carpe” as the fifth player for T1.
Should it be officially confirmed by T1, “Carpe” would be ending a half decade long career playing for the Overwatch League (OWL) and the Philadelphia Fusion. As a fellow hitscan DPS player, he would also join illustrious names such as Jay “Sinatraa” Won and future teammate Ha “Sayaplayer” Jung-woo in transitioning to Riot’s tactical shooter.
T1 promised a GOAT
Coach Yoon “Autumn” Eu-teum released a tweet in reply to T1 roster announcement on the 23rd of Oct, suggesting the fifth active member to be a veteran addition. There are few that fit the criteria of GOAT in any game, however “Carpe” could very well be one of the few exceptions.
[twitter url="https://twitter.com/autumnkorea/status/1583995677926838272"]
One of the longest-standing OWL players, “Carpe” has been playing since the formation of the league in 2017. His transfer, though surprising to an extent, is also one that we have seen a lot of. It has been primarily hitscan DPS players from OWL that have gone on to find success in Valorant.
[youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9t5RUuDcjg"]
Moreover, his transition to T1 will reunite him with ex-rivals Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom and “Sayaplayer.” Having taken a backseat in 2022 on the Fusion bench, “Carpe” has seen limited playtime compared to years prior.
Having accomplished multiple top placements in the OWL, “Carpe” has also won the Overwatch World Cup in 2018 for South Korea. Regardless of the state of the Fusion roster, “Carpe” has remained a mainstay of the roster for the entirety of his career, and for this long. He is the only player to be able to boast that feat.
[twitter url="https://twitter.com/fusion/status/1058883082005037056"]
A constant threat on DPS, from Cassidy to his Widowmaker and infamous Tracer, Philadelphia Fusion was always in contention thanks to him. Despite that, the 1st place has eluded him over much of his career. With four 2nd place finishes over his career, the 24-year-old now looks to Valorant for a fresh start in 2023.
[youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoqulPreZ0Y"]
T1 is Ready
At this point, it is unknown how the roles will play out for the majority of T1’s roster. With the exception of possibly “Sayaplayer” and “xeta,” it is impossible to predict due to the flexibility of the talent assembled.
However, there is something to be said for the mechanical prowess available on the roster. “Munchkin” has successfully led his Crazy Racoons Squad to multiple top finishes in 2021, including a 1st place at Japan Stage 1 Masters, Stage 2 Challengers Finals, 2nd place in Stage 3 Challengers and showings at all three international Valorant events in 2021.
“xeta” was in contention for one of the best NA players during his tenure on Cloud 9, having defined himself as a top tier initiator in the region. “Sayaplayer” needs no introduction, as one of the strongest players in the NA region. Since his bloom on The Guard, his stock has steadily risen as one of the best snipers and Chambers in NA.
With that, T1’s roster now looks as such:
- Ha “Sayaplayer” Jung-woo
- Joseph Seungmin “ban” Oh
- Son "xeta" Seon-ho
- Byeon "Munchkin"Sang-beom
- Lee “Carpe” Jae-hyeok
- Kim “BeomJun” Beom-Jun
Image source: Blizzard Entertainment
