The latest StarCraft 2 comeback story might be the game's most unbelievable, as ByuN completed an incredibly unlikely return to competition with a tournament win just months after coming back from his military service. StarCraft 2 might have failed to gain the traction people expected from Blizzard's Brood War successor over its ten year history, but it's consistently churned out some of the most compelling esports narratives during its existence, especially given the solitary nature of the competition when compared to other popular titles like League of Legends and CS:GO.
Things aren't looking particularly great for StarCraft 2 as a whole, but those who enjoy the game remain as passionate for it as ever. Despite Blizzard announcing the end of StarCraft 2 support, the various leagues and tournament competitions that were scheduled prior to the announcement have continued on, and while it's hard to look at the scene and suggest its anything but stagnant, it's also allowing players to author their final arcs in a way other games haven't allowed. Just over the past year, DongRaeGu returned to form and turned back the clock to a time when he was one of the most feared and popular competitors, and now another player with a storied past a lengthy break after his peak has broken through and found renewed success.
ByuN is a former StarCraft 2 world champion who took over a year away from the game to complete his mandatory military service, something that generally spells the end of esports professionals' careers. Just three months after returning to competition, however, ByuN won another major tournament in ASUS ROG Online 2020 to add to his impressive accolades, and it's quite possibly the most unbelievable comeback story StarCraft 2 has ever produced. ByuN didn't just get lucky with brackets and groups - he essentially beat every tournament favorite he could. ByuN beat Reynor and Stats, two of the most consistent players in 2020, in group stages to take an unlikely first place, and from there, he didn't stop.
On his way to the finals, ByuN beat Serral - someone many would argue is one of the best to ever play the game - and then Solar in a sweep before meeting Maru, another best-ever contender and recent GSL finalist. In a tight and exciting finals, ByuN came out ahead 4-2. ByuN's victory wasn't just a feel-good story that was helped along by some good fortune, though, and that's what makes his victory so improbable. It's hard to pick a series he played where he was the consensus or even popular favorite to win, and he barely even qualified for the tournament to begin with. This return to form isn't just strange - it's unprecedented.
Of course, ByuN's career has often been about a player who does what many would consider impossible. His World Championship win in 2016 wasn't something many expected from him in the years leading up to it, and while this tournament obviously isn't on the same level, his win is arguably more inspiring now. While StarCraft 2 as a whole appears to be gracefully bowing out of the spotlight slowly, the stories it tells continue to remain some of the best in esports. ByuN's win is a reminder of that - and a bittersweet nudge, too, to enjoy each StarCraft competition as they come, since it's unclear how many more fans will get before they're gone.
Source: ASUS ROG Online 2020