Overwatch veteran Taimou returns to competition in a surprising way

One of the most accomplished players in the history of Overwatch, Timo ‘Taimou’ Kettunen, has announced his return to competition after being absent from the Dallas Fuel for the majority of 2019.

A veteran of competitive Overwatch, Taimou made a name for himself in the early days as a standout European DPS player. Known for his extraordinary aim on hitscan heroes such as Widowmaker and McCree,  he led the charge in Korea for a decisive victory in APEX Season 1 and even helped Team Envy claim victory in the inaugural 2017 Overwatch Contenders Season.

Despite making it to the grandest stage of all and representing Dallas in Season One of the Overwatch League, Taimou was benched for a lengthy period as aim-based heroes took a backseat in the meta. After months of weighing up his future, the popular star announced his return on January 8.

Announced alongside a brief highlight reel showcasing his aiming prowess, Dallas Fuel officially confirmed the veteran would be parting ways with the Overwatch League in 2020 and dropping into Contenders competition with Team Envy instead.

“We cannot thank Mr. Good Aim enough for his unparalleled passion, spirit, & energy he has committed time and time again to the Fuel. We wish him utter success in his career. Thank you Taimou!”

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Having competed for Team Envy from May 2016 all the way through until his transition to the OWL in January 2018, Taimou will be seamlessly switching back over once again and actively competing on a regular basis with the new Contenders roster.

Expressed in a November Twitlonger, Taimou outlined how being benched throughout the 2019 Overwatch League season “felt like a bad dream.” He even stopped “practicing for months” as the headshot expert failed to earn a starting spot on the Dallas roster throughout the GOATS-based meta. 

Despite the motivational difficulties he had endured, Taimou explained how he wasn’t quite ready to call it quits like a number of his contemporaries. “I don’t know anything about where I end up yet. All I know is that I can still make it,” he said.

While Taimou could have remained under contract with the Dallas Fuel for the 2020 season and continued to sit on the bench, the veteran decided to turn down a “higher salary” in order to “pursue happiness.”

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“Streaming’s not it. 9-5 ain’t it. Whatever game or league, I’m gonna be playing until I’m 40 years old,” he said, indicating that the thrill of competition brings far more joy than a bigger paycheck from streaming or being benched.

While the full Team Envy Contenders roster for the first 2020 season is yet to be finalized, North American competition is set to kick off on January 11 with fourtreen teams battling it out in an initial seeding tournament.

There’s no telling if these matches will be broadcast so the world can see the veteran DPS shine once more, however, it certainly seems Taimou is most happy when competing, and he’s ready to give his all to the Contenders grind.