In 2024, ENCE is reconquering territory. Today, we are happy to announce our expansion into Overwatch 2.
The cavalry's here! After recently announcing our return to Rainbow Six Siege, we are now excited to re-establish our place in the competitive Overwatch scene.
The full ENCE Overwatch 2 roster:
Roni "LhCloudy" Tiihonen, Tank
Ilari "Vestola" Vestola, Tank
Kai "Kai" Collins, DPS
Kevin "kevster" Persson, DPS
Petja "Masaa" Kantanen, Support
Aaro "ghost91" Ventola, Support
William "Crimzo" Hernandez, Support (Sub)
Jordan "Gunba" Graham (Coach)
Karl "Algos05" Seidemann (Team Manager)
ENCE is no stranger to the Overwatch scene; from 2017 to 2018, we competed in the prequel, Overwatch 1, focusing primarily on the Finnish scene. LhCloudy, who was part of the first ENCE Overwatch roster, returns now with sights set on success. “I began my pro career in ENCE in 2017. Winning the first Finnish Overwatch Championship inspired me to play better, and my time in ENCE gave me a lot of experience.”
From ENCE, LhCloudy’s journey led to Team Gigantti and, from there, to the Overwatch League, where he played in Paris Eternal and Los Angeles Gladiators. He has also represented Finland in the Overwatch World Cup in 2019 and 2023.“I’ve personally gone a full circle back to my roots. These years have included many losses, many wins, many good moments, and a lot of heartache. Both ENCE and I have grown since then. It feels really good to return, and now, after seven years, it’s time to go forward again. What better way to do it than by joining ENCE?” LhCloudy concludes.
In January 2024, when Activision Blizzard announced changes to the Overwatch esports ecosystem, ENCE’s Eemeli "Woomera" Ikonen had his sights on this roster: “As a former Overwatch player, it was natural for me to explore opportunities and start mapping out potential teams. Comprised of highly skilled players and a distinguished coach, we saw a lot of potential for this roster to be one of the best teams in Europe”, Ikonen explains, adding: “It's great to see many Finnish players competing at the highest level of Overwatch.”
The 2024 Overwatch 2 season features multiple competitive stages, with Open Qualifiers for each region to battle for their place in the Main Event. The stages will culminate in two live, in-person international events, bringing the regions to the big stage for the pinnacle of Overwatch 2.
Renewal of the entire Overwatch 2 competitive ecosystem offers new opportunities for organizations to gain a foothold. The Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) open qualifier system is a long-awaited change to get organizations back on board, bring structure to the annual tournament calendar, and increase visibility for promising new teams and players.
The ENCE Overwatch 2 roster consists of a Finnish core and the best talent picked from Europe, Australia, and North America. “You could call it a European Dream Team,” LhCloudy chuckles. “There isn’t a better place for us. We wanted to join ENCE from the start as we began to look for an organization to play under. Everything went as planned, and we’re excited to begin the hard work in ENCE!”
The team has tons of experience under their belts: “We wanted an experienced team ready for anything because OWCS is a high-pressure environment that doesn’t leave any room for error. Our players are innovative, aggressive, and ready for any situation. Each is a pro and able to build on their vast experience,” LhCloudy explains. Also, the team’s coach, Gunba, is one of the most decorated coaches in the scene, winning the last-ever Overwatch League Championship with Florida Mayhem and being named the Coach of the Year in 2023.
ENCE aims to qualify for all Major events in 2024. The goals are set high, and the team is hungry, jumping straight into action with the EMEA Stage 1 Maint Event of Overwatch Champions Series 2024.
Follow their journey on the new ENCE Overwatch 2 account.
Make sure also to follow the whole roster:
Roni "LhCloudy" Tiihonen
Ilari "Vestola" Vestola
Kai "Kai" Collins
Kevin "kevster" Persson
Petja "Masaa" Kantanen
Aaro "ghost91" Ventola
William "Crimzo" Hernandez (Sub)
Jordan "Gunba" Graham (Coach)
Karl "Algos05" Seidemann (Team Manager)
