Written by Vince "Violator" Oliverio
Artwork by Phil "Aztk" Therien

At first glance, a lot of people might wonder why Charlie “cBz” Pyo decided to accept the invitation to join Team 3D. After all, United 5 was arguably one of the top teams in the United States and they even had a half-decent sponsorship. Finding talented players after the departure of Sunman obviously was not a problem for U5. The move to 3D was a surprise not only to the community, but to his United 5 teammates as well. A lot of people are probably wondering, “What is this all about?”

The answer is simple. Team 3D is the perfect place for Pyo, and more importantly for 3D, Pyo is just what the doctor ordered.

The first point to address is the question of skill. To many CS junkies, cBz is a solid, skilled, and well known player - but not what most would call a “superstar” on the level with other great American names like Sunman, Method, Volcano, Ksharp and Rambo. And let’s face it; 3D is the team to be on if you are an American CS player. Their sponsorships are unmatched by any other American team, they have championships under their belt, they are always an American favorite to place well at events, and they have simply been around the block with their veteran star lineup so many times that it would be foolish to pass up any opportunity to play for them!

So why did 3D, a team who could easily have had their “pick of the litter,” choose Pyo? After all, there are players out there that are more skilled than Pyo, right? My response is simple. First of all, Team 3D is not looking for the most skilled players – they are however looking for the right ones. That being said, Pyo is by no means unskilled.

cBz has always played in the shadow of great names. He has been on teams with Sunman, Method, Volcano, ShaGuar, and a couple of other greats. He has always been a solid contributor, playing a “behind the scenes” role that unfortunately usually escapes the recognition of the community. In fact, there really should be no question of skill when people talk about cBz – he is LAN proven and comes from the CS Player Production Factory located in lovely Centreville, VA., which has produced 3D’s famed Ksharp, coL’s Sunman, and teams like zEx. To be on a team with the greats, you must yourself be a great player. As a member of both versions of TSG (the older and the newer), as well as United 5, Pyo has a resumé that definitely appeals to 3D’s tastes, along with the skill to back it up. Pyo may not be an international superstar right now, but he will definitely be capable of handling himself with 3D’s veteran lineup.

The skill factor, however, was probably only one small part of the larger decision to pick up cBz. Pyo’s familiarity with playing under the umbrella of other great names will allow him to focus on his game more, though undoubtedly the pressure of being on America’s most popular team is something he can not just switch off. His quietly intense, yet relaxed style of play in-game fits right in with the behavior of current 3D members. Another aspect that can not be ignored is his existing friendship with Kyle “Ksharp” Miller (also from Virginia) and Volcano (whom he has played with before). Knowing some of the players and their styles should ease his transition onto the team. The friendship works in a reverse fashion as well – 3D is well aware of what Pyo is capable of.

Marketability is also a big issue for 3D. As a team that is often in magazines or on TV, the players are held to a certain level of behavior when they are in the public eye. Ironically enough, perhaps the most boisterous figure in public for 3D is moto (and that is only around other players). cBz is clean cut and presentable, not a slob like some other gamers (though ShaGuar has come a long way since the shoe incident has he not?). This may all sound very stupid to the average gamer – but it is very important for teams to act the way 3D does if we want eSports to succeed. Marketability is a factor that 3D must consider when it picks up a new player, and with Pyo, they should have no problems.

In closing, community expectations will no doubt be extremely high. Whether cBz can keep up with 3D is yet to be seen, but off the bat he seems to fit in. The hype around a new 3D player is always flabbergasting, and seems to grow with each player that 3D acquires. Given all the hype, it will be interesting to see how Pyo performs.