Toronto Defiant announce return to Overwatch esports
OverActive Media, the parent company of the former Overwatch League franchise Toronto Defiant, has announced its entry into the Overwatch Championship Series, stating that its roster "will be announced shortly."
It's the first former Overwatch League franchise to officially recommit to Overwatch esports with the OWCS.The first OWL franchise to recommit
Rise Together
"We are excited to enter the Overwatch Champions Series and are fully committed to showcasing our team's talent to the global community," said OverActive media CEO Adam Adamou in a press release, sharing that his company will continue operations in Overwatch esports under the new system.
The announcement makes the Defiant the first former Overwatch League franchise to officially announce their return to the esport after Overwatch League's demise in November last year. In a prior interview with GGRecon, Adamou confirmed that Overwatch League teams were allowed to retain their brand even after transitioning to a new competitive format.
OverActive Media has just undergone a rebranding effort with their League of Legends and VALORANT teams, purchasing the Spanish esports brands KOI and Movistar Riders, consolidating them with their own Mad Lions.
Despite those efforts in engaging a Spanish audience as part of its strategy, OverActive Media still appears to remain committed to Toronto and the North American esports scene, fielding a franchise in the Call of Duty League with the Toronto Ultra.
Defiant roster to be announced soon
Remaining in their former facility in Toronto, Canada, the team is rumoured to sign a mix of the former OWL season 6 winners, Florida Mayhem, and other North American top talent with a FACEIT roster under Head Coach Cas "Casores" van Andel appearing as signed up for the North American OWCS Stage 1 Qualifiers, adding further credence to the theory.
Under the OWCS' ruleset, teams can now only field a maximum of two non-resident players in their roster, defined as any player who is not "a citizen or permanent resident in a region," limiting OWCS teams in their import options.
The rumoured imports for the Defiant are Overwatch League season 6 MVP Ham "SOMEONE" Jeong-wan and Grand Finals MVP Choi "MER1T" Tae-min, selecting arguably the best two players in the tank and hitscan DPS role, respectively.
If the roster rumour was to be true, the Defiant would likely emerge as one of the top contenders for the North American title and potentially even for the World Championship at Dreamhack Stockholm in November.
