The 2021 Philadelphia Fusion season was the fourth season of the Philadelphia Fusion's existence in the Overwatch League and their first under head coach Kim "NineK" Bum-hoon.
Preceding offseason
Roster changes
Free agents | Position | Handle | Name | 2021 team | Date signed | Notes |
| Support | Boombox | Isaac Charles | Young and Beautiful (OWC) | March 10[1] | – |
| Damage | Chipsa | Philip Graham | – | – | Option declined |
| Damage | Eqo | Josue Corona | Philadelphia Fusion | November 18[2] | Option declined |
| Tank | Fury | Kim Jun-ho | Washington Justice | November 21[3] | – |
| Damage | Ivy | Lee Seung-hyun | New York Excelsior | December 22[4] | – |
| Tank | Poko | Gael Gouzerch | Philadelphia Fusion | November 17[2] | Option declined |
| Tank | Sado | Kim Su-min | Toronto Defiant | November 21[5] | Option declined |
- Legend
- Light green background indicates a player was re-signed by the Fusion.
- Light red background indicates a player departed from the Fusion.
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The Fusion entered free agency with seven free agents, four of which became free agents due to the team not exercising the option to retain the player for another year.[6]
Acquisitions
The Fusion's first offseason acquisition was Kim "Mano" Dong-gyu, a veteran tank player coming from the New York Excelsior who signed on November 2, 2020. The Fusion next signed Niclas "Shockwave" Jensen, a second-year damage playing who played for the Vancouver Titans in mid-2020, on November 23.[7] Philadelphia did not pick up another player until 2021; on March 15, they signed Kim "Rascal" Dong-jun, a veteran damage player coming off back-to-back Grand Finals championships with the San Francisco Shock.[8] The Fusion next signed Choi "Hotba" Hong-jun, a tank player from the Excelsior who was a part of the Fusion's 2018 Grand Finals team, on April 7.[9] One day later, they signed Yang "Tobi" Jin-mo, a veteran support player coming off a Grand Finals appearance with the Seoul Dynasty in 2020.[10]
Departures
Five of the Fusion's seven free agents did not return, four of which signed with other teams, beginning with tank players Kim "Fury" Jun-ho and Kim "Sado" Su-min, who signed with the Washington Justice and Toronto Defiant, respectively, on November 21, 2020.[3][5] The Fusion lost damage player Lee "Ivy" Seung-hyun on December 22 after he signed with the New York Excelsior.[4] Support player Isaac "Boombox" Charles signed with Overwatch Contenders team Young and Beautiful on March 10, 2021.[1] The Fusion's final free agent, damage player Philip "Chipsa" Graham did not sign with a team in the offseason. Outside of free agency, the Fusion transferred damage player Jeong "Heesu" Hee-su to the Toronto Defiant on November 23, 2020.[11]
Regular season
May Melee
The Fusion began their 2021 season on April 17, with a 3–1 win over the Seoul Dynasty in the May Melee qualifiers.[12] In their following match, they swept the Los Angeles Valiant 3–0.[13]
Final roster
| 2021 Philadelphia Fusion roster |
| Players | Coaches |
| Role | No. | Handle | Name | Nationality | | Damage | 18 | Carpe | Lee Jae-hyeok | South Korea | | Damage | 24 | sHockWave (2W) | Niclas Jensen | Denmark | | Damage | 15 | EQO | Josue Corona | Israel | | Damage | 27 | Rascal | Kim Dong-jun | South Korea | | Tank | 7 | Mano | Kim Dong-gyu | South Korea | | Tank | 8 | HOTBA | Choi Hong-joon | South Korea | | Tank | 21 | Poko (2W) | Gael Gouzerch | France | | Support | 4 | tobi | Yang Jin-mo | South Korea | | Support | 33 | FunnyAstro (2W) | Daniel Hathaway | United Kingdom | | Support | 17 | Alarm | Kim Kyung-bo | South Korea | | - Head coach
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Legend: - (I) Inactive
- (S) Suspended
- (2W) Two-way player
 Substitute Injury / Illness
| Latest roster transaction: April 8, 2021. |
Standings
Game log
Regular season
Postseason
References
- ^ a b Young and Beautiful [@YaB_OW] (March 10, 2021). "Here are the players that will be representing Young and Beautiful in EU Contenders this 2021 season" (Tweet). Retrieved March 10, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Searl, Nate (November 18, 2020). "Eqo and Poko rejoin the Philadelphia Fusion for the 2021 OWL Season". Daily Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Michael, Cale (November 21, 2020). "Washington Justice signs Fury". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Alford, Aaron (December 23, 2020). "NYXL Complete 2021 Lineup". Hotspawn. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- ^ a b Czar, Michael (November 21, 2020). "Sado signed by the Toronto Defiant". Daily Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Player Contract Status". Overwatch League. October 21, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (November 23, 2020). "Philadelphia Fusion signs DPS sHockWave". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (March 15, 2021). "Rascal joins the Philadelphia Fusion". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (April 7, 2021). "HOTBA returns to Philadelphia Fusion". Dot Esports. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ Field Level Media (April 8, 2021). "Fusion add tobi to Overwatch League roster". Reuters. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (November 23, 2020). "Toronto Defiant acquires former Fusion DPS Heesu". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ^ Field Level Media (April 17, 2021). "Philadelphia Fusion open strong in Week 1 of Overwatch League". Gwinnett Prep Sports. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ O'Dwyer, Jack (April 19, 2021). "Overwatch League Week 1 Round-Up". MSN. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
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