super
DeLisi in 2019
Personal information
NameMatthew DeLisi
Born (2000-03-28) March 28, 2000
NationalityAmerican
Career information
GameOverwatch
Playing career2016–2021, 2023
RoleTank
Number1
Team history
2016–2017Bird Noises
2017Hammer Esports
2017Luminosity Gaming Evil
2018–2021San Francisco Shock
Career highlights and awards
Twitch information
Channel
Years active2016–present
Followers592 thousand
Last updated: May 4, 2023

Matthew DeLisi (born March 28, 2000), better known as super or supertf, is a former professional Overwatch player from the United States. He competed in the Overwatch League (OWL) as a member of the San Francisco Shock. Prior to his time in OWL, DeLisi played for teams such as Bird Noises, Hammer Esports, and Luminosity Gaming Evil (LGE).

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, DeLisi began his Overwatch career with Bird Noises and later joined Hammer Esports, which was then acquired by LGE. In late 2017, he signed with the San Francisco Shock in preparation for the inaugural OWL season in 2018. Being underage initially, DeLisi made his professional debut in April 2018. Throughout his tenure with the Shock, DeLisi achieved numerous accolades, including being a two-time OWL All-Star, an OWL Role Star, an OWL MVP finalist, and a winner of three midseason tournament titles. He also secured two OWL championships in 2019 and 2020, as well as won the 2019 Overwatch World Cup as part of Team USA. DeLisi announced his retirement on March 27, 2022.

DeLisi's prominence extended beyond his gameplay, as he made two appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for interviews about the Overwatch League.

Early life

DeLisi was born on March 28, 2000, and was raised in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1][2][3]

Professional career

Early career

DeLisi's esports journey began in Team Fortress 2 as a member of Bird Noises. However, the team transitioned to Overwatch shortly after his arrival, where he specialized in playing as the tank hero Reinhardt. In January 2017, Bird Noises was acquired by Hammer Esports, which, six weeks later, merged with Luminosity Gaming to form Luminosity Gaming Evil (LGE). During his time with LGE from January to August, the team achieved notable successes, including winning the CyberPowerPC 2017 Extreme Gaming Series minor, securing second place in the Overwatch Carbon Series major, and qualifying for Overwatch Contenders 2017 Season Zero. LGE disbanded in August 2017 as many players, including DeLisi, were expected to sign with teams in the upcoming Overwatch League (OWL).[4]

San Francisco Shock

DeLisi joined the San Francisco Shock, the Overwatch League team of NRG Esports based in San Francisco, on September 28, 2017.[5] However, due to age restrictions, DeLisi was unable to compete until March 2018.[6] His Overwatch League debut took place on April 5, 2018, when the San Francisco Shock achieved a 3–1 victory over the Los Angeles Gladiators.[7] With the eligibility of DeLisi and his teammate Jay "sinatraa" Won, the San Francisco Shock experienced an upturn in their performance during the second half of the season, achieving a 11–9 record during that time.[8]

During the initial stages of the 2019 season, the prevailing OWL meta involved a team composition of three tanks and three supports. DeLisi, specializing in playing Reinhardt, showcased exceptional skill in this meta and held the record for the fewest deaths among OWL players at various points throughout the season. The San Francisco Shock, as a team, achieved significant milestones by winning the Stage 2 playoffs and finishing as runners-up in the Stage 1 and Stage 3 playoffs. However, the introduction of a 2-2-2 role lock in Stage 4 altered the team composition meta, leading to DeLisi being benched for the majority of the remainder of the season. DeLisi made a notable appearance in the playoffs, helping the Shock secure victory against the London Spitfire. The Shock ultimately triumphed over the Vancouver Titans in the Grand Finals.[9] DeLisi's performance during the 2019 season earned him several accolades. He was selected as a 2019 All-Star and recognized with a Tank Role Star commendation, which was voted on by OWL general managers, coaches, broadcast talent, and the media.[10][11] Additionally, DeLisi was a finalist for the 2019 Overwatch League Most Valuable Player award.[12]

DeLisi faced limited playing time at the start of the 2020 season due to the prevailing use of Orisa and Winston as the primary tank choices in the league.[13] However, he made a significant impact when given the opportunity. The San Francisco Shock reached the finals of the May Melee tournament, where they emerged victorious against the Florida Mayhem, with DeLisi showcasing an aggressive playstyle on various maps.[14] As the meta shifted in the Countdown Cup qualifiers, Genji became a popular damage character. Since the Shock did not have a dedicated Genji player on their roster, DeLisi filled the role in a win against the Boston Uprising.[13][15] The Shock went on to win the Countdown Cup finals against the Philadelphia Fusion, with DeLisi occasionally subbing in as the team's main tank.[16] Despite his limited playing time, DeLisi's was selected to participate in the North America All-Star Game for the second consecutive season.[17] In the playoffs, the meta shifted again, with Roadhog becoming a prominent tank choice. DeLisi was substituted back into the starting roster, primarily playing as Roadhog throughout the playoffs.[18] The Shock secured their spot in the Grand Finals bracket as the top seed from North America. After defeating the Shanghai Dragons in the upper bracket finals, they faced the Seoul Dynasty in the Grand Finals.[19] DeLisi played a crucial role as Roadhog in the finals, helping the Shock defeat Seoul and secure their second Overwatch League championship.[20]

DeLisi made the decision to retire from professional Overwatch on March 27, 2022, just a month before the start of the 2022 season. He cited the emotional and mental strain caused by the preparation for the upcoming season as the reason for his departure.[21]

National team career

DeLisi represented Team USA in the 2019 Overwatch World Cup (OWWC). Throughout the event, he played as Orisa, a hero he had rarely used in the Overwatch League. Team USA progressed beyond the group stages and faced three-time reigning champions Team South Korea in the semifinals.[4] In a 3–1 victory, they defeated Team South Korea and advanced to the finals against Team China. Team USA dominated the finals with a 3–0 sweep, securing their first OWWC title. This achievement made DeLisi one of four players to win both OWL and OWWC titles.[22]

DeLisi briefly came out to participate in the 2023 Overwatch World Cup as a member of Team USA.[23] The team reached the quarterfinals of the event, where they were eliminated by Team China by a score of 0–3.[24]

Esports ambassador

After winning their first Overwatch League OWL title, DeLisi and teammate Jay "Sinatraa" Won made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October 2019, making them the second and third esports professionals to be featured on the show.[25] Throughout the third season of the Overwatch League, DeLisi emerged as a de facto representative of the league, consistently appearing in OWL interviews and amassing a dedicated fanbase.[4][26] In October 2020, following the Shock's second OWL championship victory, DeLisi returned to The Tonight Show for a second appearance.[27]

Awards and nominations

Year Ceremony Category Result Ref.
2019 Esports Awards Esports PC Player of the Year Nominated [28]
2022 The Streamer Awards Best FPS Streamer Nominated [29]
2023 Nominated [30]

References

  1. ↑ DeLisi, Matthew [@super_OW] (March 28, 2021). "It's my birthday this means you must stop what you're doing and say happy birthday to me please I'm 21 thank you" (Tweet). Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ Erzberger, Tyler (December 4, 2017). "Overwatch League preseason power rankings". ESPN. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  3. ↑ DeGeorge, Matthew (October 8, 2019). "Overwatch final in Philly underscores esports' growth". Delaware County Daily Times. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Alford, Aaron (September 1, 2020). "Player Spotlight: Super - The OWL Prodigy". Hotspawn. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  5. ↑ Goslin, Austen (September 28, 2017). "San Francisco Overwatch has announces its roster with a star studded video". Heroes Never Die. Archived from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  6. ↑ Franco, Joseph (August 21, 2019). "Why Overwatch League teams sign players that are too young to play". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  7. ↑ Wenrich, Connor (April 5, 2018). "S.F. shocks crowd in 3-1 win over L.A. Gladiators". Overwatch Wire. USA Today. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018.
  8. ↑ Anthony, Nash (June 30, 2018). "Good, bad, and ugly from the San Francisco Shock regular season". Overwatch Wire. USA Today. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018.
  9. ↑ Skopp, Sam (September 30, 2019). "Why The SF Shock Won The OWL Championship (And The Titans Lost)". TheGamer. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  10. ↑ Samples, Rachel (May 8, 2019). "Here's the list of reserves for the 2019 Overwatch League All-Star event". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  11. ↑ Richardson, Liz (August 31, 2019). "Overwatch League reveals Role Stars awards". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  12. ↑ Blizzard Entertainment (June 25, 2019). "Your MVP Finalists for 2019". Overwatch League. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  13. 1 2 Alford, Aaron (July 20, 2020). "Genji Shows Out in First Week of Countdown Cup Qualifiers". Hotspawn. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  14. ↑ Richardson, Liz (May 24, 2020). "Shanghai Dragons, San Francisco Shock win Overwatch League May Melee tournament". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  15. ↑ Erzberger, Tyler (July 19, 2020). "Who Won the Weekend: Ardiis and Super". ESPN. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  16. ↑ Holt, Kris (August 10, 2020). "Here's How The San Francisco Shock Won The Overwatch League Countdown Cup". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  17. ↑ Richardson, Liz (October 2, 2020). "Everything you need to know about the 2020 Overwatch League North America All-Stars event". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  18. ↑ Gao, Emerald (October 10, 2020). "Shock Win 2020 Championship, Establish a Dynasty of Their Own". Overwatch League. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  19. ↑ Field Level Media (October 9, 2020). "Dynasty upset Fusion, to face Shock in Grand Finals". Reuters. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  20. ↑ Pichette, Jennifer (October 19, 2020). "The One Man Apocalypse: The Impact of Roadhog at OWL Finals 2020". Hotspawn. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  21. ↑ Richardson, Liz (March 27, 2022). "Super retires from the Overwatch League". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  22. ↑ Wolf, Jacob (November 3, 2019). "Team USA finally claims gold at Overwatch World Cup". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Retired OWL star super returning for Overwatch World Cup". Reuters. Field Level Media. April 25, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  24. ↑ Millar, Schuyler (November 7, 2023). "Saudi Arabia is the 2023 Overwatch World Cup Champion". Fox 5 Vegas. Gray News. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  25. ↑ Wolf, Jacob (October 8, 2019). "Overwatch League's Sinatraa, super appear on 'The Tonight Show'". ESPN. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  26. ↑ Richardson, Liz (November 27, 2020). "San Francisco Shock re-signs super for 2021". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  27. ↑ Richardson, Liz (October 26, 2020). "San Francisco Shock's super returns to The Tonight Show". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Esports Awards Through the Years - 2019". Esports Awards. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  29. ↑ Miceli, Max (February 22, 2022). "All nominees for QTCinderella's Streamer Awards". Dot Esports. GAMURS Group.
  30. ↑ Polhamus, Blaine (February 20, 2023). "All 2023 Streamer Awards nominees". Dot Esports. Gamurs.
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