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Houston Outlaws

For the former professional American football team, see Houston Outlaws (RFL team).

The Houston Outlaws were an American professional Overwatch esports team based in Houston, Texas. The Outlaws competed in the Overwatch League (OWL) as a member of the league's West region. The Outlaws qualified for the season playoffs twice in their existence and reached the Grand Finals once, in 2023.

Houston Outlaws
The logo for the Houston Outlaws features two revolvers forming the shape of a longhorn skull in the colors of the team.
FoundedSeptember 20, 2017
FoldedNovember 10, 2023
LeagueOverwatch League
RegionWest
Team historyHouston Outlaws
(2017–2023)
Based inHouston, United States
Colors     
OwnerBeasley Media Group
Main sponsorH-E-B
WebsiteOfficial website
Uniforms

Founded in 2017, Houston Outlaws was one of the league's twelve founding members and was one of two professional Overwatch teams based in Texas (the other, Dallas Fuel). The Outlaws were established by OpTic Gaming and were later acquired by Infinite Esports. Immortals Gaming Club (IGC) acquired Infinite Esports in 2019, marking the first change of ownership of an OWL franchise. However, IGC already had ownership of Los Angeles Valiant, and while the League allowed IGC to operate both teams, the league had set strict standards to keep the teams independent. Subsequently, IGC sold the Outlaws to the Beasley Media Group in November 2019. In November 2023, following the closure of the Overwatch League. the Outlaws announced that they would no longer be competing in the Overwatch esports and instead shifted their focus to content and entertainment. Six months later, the organization entirely shut down.


Franchise history

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On September 20, 2017, Blizzard Entertainment officially announced that American esports organization OpTic Gaming had acquired the Houston-based franchise of the Overwatch League.[1] Reports suggested that OpTic received an investment from Texas Rangers co-owner Neil Leibman to help fund the US$20 million franchise fee.[2] On October 31, 2017, the franchise revealed its name, the Houston Outlaws, as well as their full 10-man roster and coaching staff.[3][4]

On January 11, 2018, the Outlaws played their first regular season Overwatch League match, a 3–2 loss to the Philadelphia Fusion.[5] One week later, on January 17, Houston claimed their first victory after sweeping the Shanghai Dragons 4–0.[6] Houston went on to qualify for the Stage 1 playoffs but fell to the London Spitfire in the semifinals.[7] Houston entered their last regular season match against the New York Excelsior, needing a win to keep their season playoff hopes alive. The Outlaws had a 2–1 lead after three matches, but New York won the next three straight to take the win 3–2.[8] With consistent performances by tank player Austin "Muma" Wilmot and damage player Jiri "LiNkzr" Masalin throughout the season, the team finished in seventh place with a 22–18 regular season record.[9]

The Outlaws made minimal roster additions entering the 2019 season, signing only damage player Dante "Danteh" Cruz.[10] Houston struggled throughout the first half of the season, winning only three of their first 14 matches, including a winless Stage 2.[11] After the All-Star break, the Outlaws rebounded, posting a 5–2 record in Stage 3, and qualified for the Stage 3 playoffs.[12] However, the team lost to the Vancouver Titans, 0–3, in the quarterfinals.[13] A 1–3 loss to the London Spitfire in Week 3 of Stage 4 officially eliminated the Outlaws from season playoff contention.[14] Despite the strong Stage 3, Houston ended the season in 16th place with a 9–19 record.[15]

In the middle of the 2019 season, the Outlaws changed ownership. On June 12, 2019, Immortals Gaming Club (IGC), the parent company of Immortals and Los Angeles Valiant, acquired Infinite Esports, the parent company of Houston Outlaws and OpTic Gaming, marking the first sale of any Overwatch League franchise.[16] Both Riot Games and Activision Blizzard approved the sale; by OWL rules, one company may not own more than one OWL franchise, so IGC had to operate the Valiant and Outlaws as entirely separate entities, with oversight by OWL representatives, until IGC sold the Outlaws.[17] In November 2019, IGC sold the Outlaws to the Beasley Media Group.[18]

Prior to the start of the 2020 season, the Outlaws released head coach Kim "TaiRong" Tae-yeong;[19] the team former Vancouver Titans assistant coach Harsha Bandi as their new head coach.[20] The team lost several of their players, including de facto in-game communication leader Jacob "Jake" Lyon to retirement, while picking up a handful of veteran players.[15][21] The team had their worst regular season performance in franchise history, finishing in 16th place with a 6–15 record. The team entered tied as the last seed in the North America play-in tournament.[22] Houston lost to the Boston Uprising, 1–3, on September 3 in the first round of the play-ins, ending their season.[23]

In the offseason preceding the 2021 season, the Outlaws signed former San Francisco Shock assistant coach Jae "Junkbuck" Choi to be a co-head coach along with their current head coach Harsha Bandi and promoted Matt "coolmatt" Iorio as the organization's new general manager.[22] The team overhauled their roster, releasing all of their players except for damage players Danteh and João Pedro "Hydration" Goes Telles.[24] Among their many signings, the Outlaws picked up Harrisburg University support player Enrique "Joobi" Triana, marking the first time that collegiate player had been directly signed to the Overwatch League,[25] and signed Jake back to the team as a player and coach.[26] The Outlaws found success in the first half of the season, going a combined 7–1 in the first two tournament cycles, the May Melee and June Joust.[27][28] However, they were defeated in the regional knockouts both times by the Dallas Fuel.[29][30] Houston failed to advance to the regional knockouts in either of the final two tournament cycles of the season, finishing the regular season with an 11–5 record.[31][32] Finishing in fifth place in the Western region, the team advanced to the Western play-in tournament.[33] Houston was defeated by the Washington Justice in the play-in finals, eliminating them from postseason contention.[34]

On November 10, 2023, the Outlaws announced that they would be leaving competitive Overwatch and shift to content creation.[35] Six months later, on July 26, 2024, the organization announced it closure.[36]

Team identity

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On October 30, 2017, OpTic Gaming announced that the team Houston-based team would be called the Houston Outlaws. The organization chose the name "to honor the region's rebellious and fearless nature in the face of all challenges, channeling its history and fight for independence to create a name and identity that is as large-and-in-charge as its hometown."[37]

The design of the logo was a collaboration between OpTic Gaming and the Overwatch Development team.[38] It depicts two revolvers arranged in the shape of the classic Texan longhorn skull, with a star in between the horns. The two revolvers forming the skull "symbolizes the strength of the team and the city it represents," while the single star "represents the team's pride in being a part of the Lone Star State."[39]

The colors of the logo, green and black, symbolize the "Green Wall", the name of OpTic's esports fan base. "We're excited for the Houston Outlaws to join the Green Wall family," said Hector Rodriguez. "All of our fans live to compete—to be louder than everyone else and to deafen the competition with our skilled play and enthusiasm. The Houston Outlaws will continue our historical dominance in esports and introduce a new meaning of 'community' to our fans in Texas."[40][41]

Sponsors

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In May 2018, the Outlaws, revealed their first partnership, a sponsorship agreement with telecommunications provider T-Mobile, a company that was already a sponsor of the Overwatch League itself. The deal included a number perks to Houston Outlaws fans, as well a new behind-the-scenes content series.[42] Further, in May of that year, the Outlaws announced they were partnering with gaming peripheral provider Turtle Beach, previously a sponsor of the Outlaws' parent organization OpTic Gaming.[43][44] In the Spring of 2019, the Outlaws announced two new partnerships, one with gaming retailer GameStop[45] and the other with Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B.[46]

Personnel

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Head coaches

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Handle Name Seasons Record Notes Ref.
TaiRong Kim Tae-yeong 2018–2019 33–37 (.471) [4][19]
Harsha Harsha Bandi 2020–2021 17–20 (.459) Co-head coach with Junkbuck in 2021. [20][47]
Junkbuck Choi Jae-won 2021–2022 27–13 (.675) Co-head coach with Harsha in 2021. [48]
Neko Park Se-hyeon 2023 13-3 (.813) [49]

Awards and records

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Seasons overview

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Season P W L W% Finish Playoffs
2018 40 22 18 .550 5th, Atlantic Did not qualify
2019 28 9 19 .321 6th, Atlantic Did not qualify
2020 21 6 15 .286 7th, North America Did not qualify
2021 16 11 5 .688 6th, West Did not qualify
2022 24 16 8 .667 4th, West Lost in Lower Final, 0–3 (Shock)
2023 16 13 3 .813 2nd, West Lost in Grand Finals, 0–4 (Mayhem)

Individual accomplishments

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All-Star Game selections

  • Muma (Austin Wilmot) – 2018
  • Danteh (Dante Cruz) – 2019, 2020
  • Hydration (João Pedro Goes Telles) – 2020
  • Jecse (Lee Seung-soo) – 2020

Academy team

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Founded on February 21, 2018, to compete in Overwatch Contenders North America, the Outlaws' academy team initially went under the moniker "OpTic Academy".[50]

On July 2, 2018, one day prior to Season Two starting, the team announced they would be rebranding themselves as "GG Esports Academy".[51] However, in October 2018, GG Esports Academy was removed from Overwatch Contenders for failing to submit a final roster by the roster deadline. The team submitted an extension request, but it was denied by Blizzard.[52]

References

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  1. ^ Chen, James (20 September 2017). "Overwatch League Completes the Circuit". Red Bull. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  2. ^ Pulsinelli, Olivia (September 20, 2017). "Houston team announced for new Overwatch esports league". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  3. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (31 October 2017). "Overwatch League's bad boys are here: OpTic Gaming's Houston Outlaws". Dot Esports. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Introducing the Houston Outlaws, the Official Overwatch League™ Team from OpTic Gaming". Business Wire. October 31, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  5. ^ Rosen, Rick (January 11, 2018). "Overwatch League: Philadelphia Fusion vs Houston Outlaws Recap". Heavy. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  6. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (January 17, 2018). "Massive skill divides plague Overwatch League's last two Jan. 17 matches". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  7. ^ "London Spitfire beats Houston, New York to win Overwatch League Stage 1 playoffs". ESPN. February 11, 2018.
  8. ^ Lingle, Samuel (June 15, 2018). "Houston Outlaws eliminated from OWL playoff race by New York Excelsior". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  9. ^ Erzberger, Tyler (July 3, 2018). "See you next season: Overwatch League send-offs". ESPN. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  10. ^ "2019 Team Preview: Houston Outlaws". Overwatch League. January 9, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  11. ^ Buchholtz, Matt (May 10, 2019). "Looking Up: A Chat with Boink on the Outlaws' Difficult Season". Twin Galaxies. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  12. ^ Richardson, Liz (July 8, 2019). "Overwatch League stage 3 playoff bracket revealed". Dot Esports. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  13. ^ "Beasley Media Group purchases Houston Outlaws from Immortals Gaming Club". ESPN. November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  14. ^ Richardson, Liz (August 12, 2019). "Overwatch League season playoffs update: Stage 4, week 3". Dot Esports. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Richardson, Liz (February 14, 2020). "Lone Star underdogs: Houston Outlaws team preview". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  16. ^ Goslin, Austen (June 12, 2019). "Immortals Gaming acquires Infinite Esports parent company of OpTic Gaming and Houston Outlaws". Polygon. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  17. ^ Hayward, Andrew (June 12, 2019). "Immortals GC Acquires OpTic Gaming and Houston Outlaws Parent, Infinite Esports & Entertainment". The Esports Observer. Sports Business Journal. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  18. ^ Takahashi, Dean (November 14, 2019). "Immortals Gaming Club sells its Houston Outlaws Overwatch team to Beasley Media Group". Venture Beat. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  19. ^ a b Richardson, Liz (September 20, 2019). "Houston Outlaws release head coach and assistant coach". Dot Esports. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  20. ^ a b Richardson, Liz (October 16, 2019). "Houston Outlaws acquire Harsha as head coach". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  21. ^ Gschwind, Soe (January 15, 2020). "2020 Team Preview: Houston Outlaws". Overwatch League. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Michael, Cale (October 19, 2020). "Houston Outlaws promote coolmatt to general manager position". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  23. ^ Richardson, Liz (September 3, 2020). "Houston Outlaws, Vancouver Titans eliminated from Overwatch League playoffs". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  24. ^ Michael, Cale (December 11, 2020). "Houston Outlaws signs Harrisburg University's Joobi". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  25. ^ Czar, Michael (December 11, 2020). "Main support Joobi signs to the Houston Outlaws". Upcomer. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  26. ^ Amenabar, Teddy (March 1, 2021). "Jake, OWL's caster, player and (now) coach, on finding his future in esports". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  27. ^ Mathews, Chris (April 26, 2021). "How the Overwatch League's Houston Outlaws are building a local esports brand". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  28. ^ "Outlaws, Reign, Shock win in June Joust qualifiers". Reuters. May 30, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  29. ^ Collins, Sean (May 2, 2021). "Dallas Fuel smash San Francisco, Houston to qualify for May Melee with best Overwatch in franchise history". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  30. ^ Collins, Sean (June 6, 2021). "Brief moments of focus have the Dallas Fuel heading back to Hawaii, chasing a second Overwatch League trophy". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  31. ^ "Fuel take down Outlaws in Summer Showdown qualifying". Reuters. Field Level Media. July 9, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  32. ^ "Gladiators sweep Outlaws in key Countdown Cup qualifier". Reuters. August 14, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  33. ^ Richardson, Liz (August 26, 2021). "How the Overwatch League 2021 postseason and playoffs will work". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  34. ^ Richardson, Liz (September 5, 2021). "San Francisco Shock, Washington Justice advance to Overwatch League playoffs bracket". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  35. ^ Mclaughlin, Declan (November 14, 2023). "Outlaws respond to backlash after leaving Overwatch esports for content creation". Dexerto. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  36. ^ Taifalos, Nicholas (July 27, 2024). "Former Overwatch org Outlaws Entertainment shuts shop less than a year after OWL closure". Dot Esports. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  37. ^ OpTic Gaming (October 31, 2017). "Introducing the Houston Outlaws, the official Overwatch League team from OpTic Gaming" (PDF). Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  38. ^ Witthaus, Jack (October 31, 2017). "Houston esports team in Overwatch League reveals logo, team members". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  39. ^ Kennedy, Megan (November 1, 2017). "Houston Outlaws join Overwatch League's inaugural season". Click2Houston. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  40. ^ Marshall, Cass (November 1, 2017). "The Houston Outlaws stake their claim in the Overwatch League". Heroes Never Die. Polygon. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  41. ^ Ring, Oliver (November 1, 2017). "OpTic Gaming's Overwatch League team to be named Houston Outlaws". Esports Insider. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  42. ^ Murray, Trent (May 5, 2018). "Houston Outlaws Announce Partnership With T-Mobile". The Esports Observer. Sports Business Journal. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  43. ^ "Turtle Beach & Houston Outlaws Band Together | Turtle Beach Blog". 24 May 2018. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  44. ^ Hollingsworth, David (May 1, 2018). "OpTic Gaming extends partnership with Turtle Beach". Esports Insider. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  45. ^ Fitch, Adam (March 27, 2019). "OpTic Gaming and Houston Outlaws add GameStop as video game retail partner". Esports Insider. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  46. ^ Hayward, Andrew (April 8, 2019). "Houston Outlaws Adds Grocery Chain H-E-B as Sponsor". The Esports Observer. Sports Business Journal. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  47. ^ Richardson, Liz (October 1, 2021). "Houston Outlaws' JJANGGU and Joobi explore free agency". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  48. ^ Richardson, Liz (November 25, 2020). "Happy joins the Houston Outlaws". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  49. ^ Houston Outlaws [@Outlaws] (December 24, 2022). "Welcome @ow_neko as our Head Coach and @JunkBuckOW as Director of Competition!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  50. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (21 February 2018). "Former RunAway tank Kaiser signs with OpTic Gaming's Overwatch League academy team". Dot Esports. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  51. ^ GG Esports Academy [@GGEAOverwatch] (2 July 2018). "OpTic Academy is now GGEA" (Tweet). Retrieved 6 July 2018 – via Twitter.
  52. ^ Genova, Vincent (October 6, 2018). "OpTic Gaming's GGEA kicked out of OW Contenders after roster mishap". Dexerto. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
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