The San Francisco Shock has announced the arrival of Charlie “nero” Zwarg, with the American DPS player having most recently represented the Guangzhou Charge. The 19-year-old was a free agent after leaving the Chinese Overwatch League team, with nero likely to be the final DPS signing for the Shock during the offseason.

Speculation had been rife surrounding the future of nero, with the former Toronto Esports youngster having been linked with a host of organizations, before he eventually selected the Shock. He will replace a recently departed flex DPS, with San Francisco having also recently announced the re-signing of Nam-joo “Striker” Kwon.

How Nero Made His Name in Overwatch

Nero’s history in Overwatch dates back to 2017 with Virtue, before moving to the Toronto Esports in American Contenders. A host of strong performances in an invitational meant that nero was highly sought after, which eventually led to a move to Guangzhou. The American was too young to compete for the Charge initially, meaning that he was forced to compete for the organization’s academy team.
The teenager did eventually move up to their main lineup, however the team failed to record any tournament wins. However, with nero’s experience growing, Guangzhou did make improvements, with their biggest achievement coming in winning the APAC regions Summer Showdown, defeating the Shanghai Dragons in the final. The team also finished fifth in the Overwatch League standings, with many of their players having been put firmly in the shop window.

Why the Shock Made Their Move for Nero

Nero’s signing at San Francisco appears to be a good deal for both parties, with the Shock having a good reputation when it comes to developing young DPS players. During their second season, it was rookie Seonchang “ANS” Lee who made his name for the team, with the South Korean sitting alongside Striker, Nero and Sean Taiyo “ta1yo” Henderson in their list of DPS talents.
The Shock had just two American players on its books last season, with this likely to be the case once more following the departure of Grant “moth” Espe to the Los Angeles Gladiators. Tank Matthew “super” DeLisi is the only other American at the Shock at present. It remains to be seen as to just how much game time nero will get at San Francisco, who are looking to win a third consecutive championship.