A pro Overwatch player has become the first person to be suspended from the inaugural Overwatch League for a homophobic remark.
Felix Lengyel, also known as xQc of the Dallas Fuel, has been fined $2,000 and suspended for four games by the league, which is operated by Overwatch developer Blizzard Entertainment. The Dallas Fuel added an additional punishment, suspending him for the rest of Stage One.
Before our match begins, we would like to issue this statement regarding @overwatchleague‘s decision to suspend @xQc. #burnblue pic.twitter.com/26ffHaPPEz
— Dallas Fuel (@DallasFuel) January 20, 2018
Neither the Overwatch League’s suspension nor the Dallas Fuel’s statement mentioned what Lengyel actually did, but it’s alleged he directed a homophobic slur at an opposing player in a match against the Houston Outlaws.
Reports say that the insult came after Outlaws player Austin Wilmot said a parody of one of Lengyel’s catchphrases after the Outlaws won a match. Lengyel had a problem with that – even though he wasn’t in the game, and allegedly said, “Shut your fucking mouth. Go back there. Suck a fat cock. I mean, you would like it.”
He can be clearly seen saying that in the clip of the game itself, though it looks like he seems immediately regretful:
It’s perhaps no surprise that the world of eSports sometimes has to deal with problems of player misconduct. It’s a world borne from the Wild West of online gaming, which is lightly moderated and only sporadically punishes bad behaviour.
If eSports wants to establish itself as a truly mainstream force, it’s inevitable that tighter controls on players’ trash talk will come with that.
