Esports organisation Ex Oblivione (ExO) have announced their latest roster for the first split of the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) EMEA region. Caster and ENUK writer Jace reports on the news and offers their opinion on the roster.
Just 28 hours after Matilda Smedius, the voice actor for Brigette, joined as a co-owner of the org (see more on that further in this article), UK main support player Crispy also returned to the team alongside some familiar names.
Crispy makes a second appearance on the roster after his run in 2023, and earns his spot off the back of top finishes in the aforementioned EU Contenders, finishing second in last summer’s split. He has also made frequent appearances at Insomnia, winning both i69 and i70.
In a meta where Lucio is able to duel flankers and frag like never before, Crispy’s impact will be so valuable. Personally I’m looking forward to an ‘ExO vs We Spitfire’ matchup to see the main support melee between Crispy and FunnyAstro.
Once again, alongside Crispy will be Spanish flex support Khenail, Ukraine tank Chasetorch and German hitscan Cookie084. These four will be complimented by another previous ExO player in Clowd, who featured for Finland in the 2023 Overwatch World Cup, the team that knocked out the UK.
Finally rounding out a six-person roster, former Overwatch League DPS Shockwave should fit really nicely alongside both Clowd and Cookie. Even excluding my own personal bias, I’m excited to see Danish player Shockwave on this roster. The 23-year-old will bring experience and a dynamic hero pool.
For anyone unfamiliar, the Overwatch League announced a few months ago it would be ceasing to operate permanently after running for six seasons. In its place, Blizzard has created the Overwatch Championship Series, also known as the OWCS.
Currently, the new phoenix project is region-locked, meaning European teams have to consist of mostly European talent, with space for two players who are not registered as residents of their respective region. This is of stark contrast to the Overwatch League, where several teams had a majority Korean roster.
Being a steadfast presence in the former Contenders circuit, Ex Oblivione have had a wealth of homegrown talent in their ranks. This newest roster is just another extension of that.
Fans of UK Overwatch should be familiar with their previous incarnations as World Cup members FunnyAstro, Backbone and WMaimone have all played for them previously.
It’s going to be difficult to scale the power of this ExO roster, as previously they were only competing amongst fellow tier 2 talent. Now they stand side by side against some of the best in the world at what they do such as Kevster and Backbone or emerging players of that calibre like Quartz.
European Overwatch has never been this stacked. One thing is for sure though – this current rotation of players believe in themselves, and deservedly so, it’s a strong roster.
It’s important to remember that everyone on this new ExO lineup is younger and not as experienced, but with growth to be made. Ex Oblivione clearly have a vision of nurturing these players and seeing them flourish in time. To put too many expectations on them early would be unfair, as talented as I believe they all are.
UK player Crispy on joining Ex Oblivione in the OWCS
I was lucky enough to get a few comments from Crispy himself about the formation of this new ExO, alongside his ambitions for this ambitious roster.
Crispy told Esports News UK: “As players we chose to play under ExO again because we believe in their vision. They have a lot of talented people working for them with high aspirations.
“Our goal as a team is to attend the international LAN at Dreamhack Dallas, and win against some of the more established teams in Europe.”
Crispy, Ex Oblivione
“I’m excited to play with familiar faces and friends who I’ve been teammates with in the past, as well as begin working with new, highly capable players and coaches.”
With a new era for Overwatch esports on the horizon, it will be exciting to see the strength of the European region as a whole before international play transpires.
Ex Oblivione on new strategy with co-owner
The org announced in a press release that Matilda Smedius has joined the team as the new co-owner.
“The Overwatch Championship Series by ESL Faceit Group marks a new turning point in Overwatch Esports, granting teams like Ex Oblivione more visibility and opportunity to make a mark through Overwatch Esports,” the org said in a press release. “To this end, the team is completely restructuring and bringing on top talent like Smedius to aid in the process of establishing itself as an organisation with wider goals for players and the community.”
Smedius is joined by two other owners, Kevin Hondijk, the Founder and Managing Director of Ex Oblivione, and Vidyuth Manu, the Director of Operations.
Smedius cites that she has ‘immense trust’ in the leadership, and is joining primarily because of their shared values and team vision.
The newly grounded goals of the organisation are:
- Having an esports organisation that is player first. “Everything we do is for the players, shining a spotlight on them and taking care of their needs is a top priority.”
- Partnering with brands and organisations that align with their eco-conscious and community-centric values. “Partnering with charities and organisations to help the wider community and offset the environmental impact from Ex Oblivione’s activities as an organisation, with the aim of net 0 emissions. And partnering with brands that have sustainable practices and also generate a positive impact for the community.”
- Creating the gold standard for what an esports team is supposed to be. “Not a cut-throat engine that exploits players and staff, but an organisation that cares for staff, volunteers, players, and the community – providing a real opportunity for growth. Working with top talent in the industry to make great content for players and fans.”
Ex Oblivione is a bootstrapped solution and are currently looking for partners, investors, content creators, KOLs and organisations that share this vision and want to partner with the team.
Ex Oblivione in addition wants to ‘completely redefine the fan journey, so that every action – purchasing merch, subscribing to the team, or cheering as a fan can contribute not only to the team but actively to good causes – cleaning the oceans, planting trees, supporting communities globally and more’.
The org have also announced a North American roster:
