My first thought was "oh damn! That's too bad! Another foreigner giving up"
Cause that'd be the natural thought process if this was BW.

Then I remembered, this isn't BW. And we actually should be really happy about this. The aim of all this is to make the foreign e-sport scene so big that.. well.. that we'd stop refereing to it as the "foreign scene".

Great! The first great step towards creating something comparable to the GSL over here.
Who knows, with big tournaments like the TSL coming up, maybe we'll have your own GSL soon.

Azzur

Australia6260 Posts

February 16 2011 08:33 GMT

#142

For Idra's former group, I think this is what is going to happen:

Zenio vs Byun -> winner advances
Loser will have to beat Clide twice (with Clide having to win once) to advance.

I'm also a bit sad with this announcement, although the NASL is something to look forward to. Maybe one day there can be a Champions League type format with the best from the leagues competing.

chocopan

Japan986 Posts

February 16 2011 08:34 GMT

#143

Well, I'm sure he made the best choice for him and his team. I wish him luck.

For myself, I'm sad. He was "our guy" in Korea since the start. Now he's another NA progamer. Still a great one. Of course. And I hope he tears through the tournament scene. But it's the end of an era.

glgl, IdrA!

Marl

United States694 Posts

February 16 2011 08:34 GMT

#144

Hopefully more people leave GSL so that some competition between tournaments happen and the $20 to watch thing goes away.

legaton

France1763 Posts

February 16 2011 08:36 GMT

#145

Idra tried for years to triumph in Korea, first at Entus in Broowar and now in SC2. I thought he was doing fine in GSL with some pretty consistent results but he seems to have grown frustrated because there was a wall that he couldn't break. It's kind of disappointing as Korea is the most competitive country for SC2 today. Ret and Shinro, beating everybody in the most important foreigner tournaments, have shown how good you can become thanks to the gaming environment and the korean-style training. It's a poor decision for sports, but i guess he will win more money beating sub-par foreigners pros.

Teeny

Austria885 Posts

February 16 2011 08:36 GMT

#146

I hope everything will work out fine for him!
This new league must be a really big thing.

papaz

Sweden4149 Posts

February 16 2011 08:37 GMT

#147

Well this is perfectly undersantable from Idras perspective.

Outside of korea he will win a lot of tourneys and make much more money.

Sure all the other leagues will not be considered as difficult or competitive as GSL but at the end of the day Idra is a professional player looking for making money.

I expect the other non koreans to follow his footstep.

Annq

Germany104 Posts

February 16 2011 08:37 GMT

#148

I feel sad for Tasteless and Artosis, dont they want to commentate together with Day9 the new (possible) League?

Cheeselicker

United Kingdom78 Posts

February 16 2011 08:39 GMT

#149

for all the matches which Greg is supposed to play, the opponents will get a free win.

So how is this different from when Idra was in korea?

Just kidding- can't wait to see Idra demolish some nerds in the US.

Deadlyfish

Denmark1980 Posts

February 16 2011 08:41 GMT

#150

So i'm guessing that maybe this has something to do with the big announcement?

Anyways, i like it. Now we get to see him in more tournaments :D

don_kyuhote

3006 Posts

February 16 2011 08:41 GMT

#151

On February 16 2011 17:37 Annq wrote:
I feel sad for Tasteless and Artosis, dont they want to commentate together with Day9 the new (possible) League?

Not so fast my friend.
We still need to leave some people behind in Korea to gather information about metagames and stuff from the Korean scene.

SnK-Arcbound

United States4423 Posts

February 16 2011 08:42 GMT

#152

Is Idra still going to be considered Code S or will have have to earn his way back in?

eviltomahawk

United States11135 Posts

February 16 2011 08:44 GMT

#153

On February 16 2011 17:41 don_kyuhote wrote:

Show nested quote +

Not so fast my friend.
We still need to leave some people behind in Korea to gather information about metagames and stuff from the Korean scene.

Indeed. Tastosis is our English-speaking bridge to the entire Korean scene, and it would be infinitely more difficult for the Korean scene to get more recognition in the West without them.

nttea

Sweden4353 Posts

February 16 2011 08:50 GMT

#154

Understandable move from Idra! i would prefer seeing him continue in korea though ofc

explicit

52 Posts

February 16 2011 08:51 GMT

#155

I think this is sort of sad, idra will dominate the western scene which makes western players play better - but also it will put idra out of practice. Having watched the current "top" players from the west play and GSL/idra, i think skillwise they are leagues apart and they'll just end up meeting somewhere in the middle.

deejY

Germany44 Posts

February 16 2011 08:53 GMT

#156

and waited until this week to get his korea zerg invite for tsl ? :D

can’t wait to see the gracken stomping over NA and EU

ICA

498 Posts

February 16 2011 09:00 GMT

#157

Did not read the entire thread, sorry.
My question: If he returns to Korea in order to participate in the GSL, he has to go through the entire qualification process, right?

papaz

Sweden4149 Posts

February 16 2011 09:03 GMT

#158

On February 16 2011 18:00 ICA wrote:
Did not read the entire thread, sorry.
My question: If he returns to Korea in order to participate in the GSL, he has to go through the entire qualification process, right?

It would be a bit odd if any player could just "freeze" their status, take a year break and then just go "hey Im back, can I just have my spot again in the main code s tourney?".

RainWhisper

United Arab Emirates333 Posts

February 16 2011 09:04 GMT

#159

I am happy, and i am sad. this sucks really. =(

Tyree

1508 Posts

February 16 2011 09:05 GMT

#160

I think this is sort of sad, idra will dominate the western scene

That is not true at all, you give way too little credit to the western scene, last MLG Idra lost plenty of games and did not go far in the tournament.

He will undoubtly be one of the big favorites to win tournaments, but he wont simply go undefeated and steamroll everyone. Especially not at a EU event where competition is stiff.

He looked far happier being at MLG with his team, talking to them and just being himself than he does in Korea, at least just by looking at his face. When he plays in GSL he looks like someone killed his puppy dog. So i am sure the social aspect + chances at winning money = good reason to go back home for a while.