In a plotline that Blizzard itself has been dreaming of since first setting up Overwatch's 'Path to Pro,' a new player has earned himself a monumental achievement within the competitive team-based shooter. A young Overwatch player has achieved a monumental achievement as a result of hard work and perseverance by quickly rising through the ranks.
A sixteen-year-old Canadian player by the name of Asa, with esports aspirations, has managed to grind his way from 800 SR all the way to Grandmaster at 4,000 SR. This is the precise level that multiple streamers have attempted to replicate in their videos of 'Bronze to GM' that begin with them throwing dozens of matches to nerf their ranking, and then clubbing lower-ranked players for content until they end up back where they're supposed to be.
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Asa notes that his feat took four years of dedication to the title until he managed to hit the Grandmaster rank in the DPS queue with a friend; whether Overwatch's role-lock played a hand in easing the grind is questionable. Since gaining the GM rank and posting on Twitter, the young streamer has found an outpouring of support from Internet denizens inspired by his determination. That is the esports dream - to persevere through grit and become one of the best in the world at any title.
Asa, who has just begun streaming the day after his announcement that he grinded from low Bronze to Grandmaster within Blizzard's ability-based shooter, has gained 52 followers in two days on Twitch where he streams under the handle of AsaOW. The young Canadian player notes that he dreams of making it into esports, and that this is merely the first step of his journey.
The number of players that cheat in online competitive titles can be overwhelming for a vast quantity of players looking to unwind. Overwatch has had its fair share as well, from gutting the Top 500 to a memorable shutdown from Jeff Kaplan to a cheater. While cheaters receiving their comeuppance can result in schadenfreude for players and their sanity, when bad actors go undetected it can result in difficulties for higher ranks of competitive titles.
The unironic "bootstrap" story that Asa offers against the standard gamut of obstacles and frustrating news that can permeate the media cycle offers a brief respite. Sometimes, the grind can pay off if the player is able to bear it.
Overwatch is a available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.