At three years in, Overwatch is still what one would consider a “new” game. However, there are still players whose names hold legendary status. Just mentions of the names bring to memory spectacular plays and iconic moments: InternetHulk’s laugh. Runner’s punching of the booth ceiling. Flower’s utter domination in the Overwatch World Cup. While some of those players no longer play the game, other legends still take the stage including the uncanny Gengi, George "ShaDowBurn" Gushcha.

ShaDowBurn first got into competitive gaming with Team Fortress 2, primarily playing Roaming Soldier. However, once Overwatch was released, the projectile-pro made the leap into Blizzard’s hero shooter, never to look back.

“I really enjoyed mechanics in [Overwatch], like projectiles and movement,” said ShaDowBurn on why he made the swap to Overwatch. “ I think, for me, it’s way harder to learn to aim with projectiles. It’s special mechanics.”

So why pick one of the most challenging roles on the team? It’s just second nature to Gushcha. “You don’t see a lot of players hitting crazy air shots, or doing crazy stuff. It, like, [is making me want to] be the first at this, and be better than others.”

ShaDowBurn’s fan base has been nothing short of incredible, supporting him even after his move from the Philadelphia Fusion to the Paris Eternal. One fan even recently compiled a book of ShaDowBurn fan art that Gushcha shared on his Twitter account.

I don’t deserve this kind of support, thank you so much! @LucindaStark_ pic.twitter.com/Jwcoq0GqcI — George Gushcha (@SDBurnOW) April 8, 2019

“It’s so warm, I cannot even explain this feeling,” said ShaDowBurn regarding support from his fans. “It’s like someone has put in so much effort, so you can open this book and see this kind of stuff. It really motivates. It forces you to not stop doing what you do, and try even harder. It means a lot, you know.”

What causes a player like ShaDowBurn to stand out? If it had only been a combination of incredible mechanical talent and timing with a new game release, ShaDowBurn surely could have faded away like so many greats from the early days of the game. It takes much more than that to form a legend.

Some of this impact can be attributed to ShaDowBurn’s personality and sense of humor. A great example of this was the rumor that ShaDowBurn never smiled. It’s not uncommon to see them focusing on the game at hand; sometimes appearing quite serious. The DPS player leaned into the perception and truly appeared to have fun with it, “smiling for the Overwatch League player camera and even releasing an amazing dance gif.

Uhmm, did you enjoy my dance? Just wondering :D pic.twitter.com/3ylIWoRtAN — George Gushcha (@SDBurnOW) July 14, 2018

When asked what he would like his legacy to be in an Esports Hall of Fame (should one become recognized in the future), ShaDowBurn’s wish is simple; to be remembered for being the best on a specific character.



“When I play certain characters, I want to become the best,” he said. “I want people to know me, like, ‘At this certain time, he was the best on Genji, or Pharah, or whatever.’”

We think he’s well on his way.