TL;DR
- Cloud9 officially enters Teamfight Tactics competitive scene with two former Heroes of the Storm professionals
- Khalif ‘Khroen’ Hashim and Juan ‘JSchritte’ Freitas bring championship experience from HGC leagues
- Both players faced career uncertainty after Blizzard discontinued Heroes esports support in 2018
- Successful transitions to new games demonstrate esports professionals’ adaptability and transferable skills
- Cloud9 aims to establish competitive presence in rapidly growing autobattler genre
North American esports organization Cloud9 has unveiled its competitive ambitions within the Teamfight Tactics landscape, marking a significant diversification of their gaming portfolio. This strategic move represents the organization’s recognition of the autobattler genre’s growing competitive potential and viewer engagement metrics.
The organization has secured the talents of two former Heroes of the Storm professionals: Khalif “Khroen” Hashim and Juan “JSchritte” Freitas. Both competitors will represent Cloud9 in official League of Legends autobattler tournaments and ranked ladder competitions. The official announcement occurred through Cloud9’s social media channels, with both athletes subsequently sharing their perspectives on this career transition.
“Returning to competitive gaming feels incredibly rewarding. Cloud9 has always represented excellence in esports, and now they’re providing me with a supportive environment to pursue new competitive goals,” JSchritte expressed via Twitter. “Fans can anticipate maximum dedication and strategic innovation from our roster.”
Both esports professionals competed extensively throughout Heroes of the Storm’s organized competitive lifespan, achieving notable success across multiple tournament circuits and regional leagues.
Khroen, a 24-year-old American competitor, most recently represented HeroesHearth during the game’s final competitive seasons. His competitive peak occurred during 2018 when his squad secured second position during phase one of the HGC North America Pro League, followed by a championship victory in the second phase. This demonstrated his ability to adapt and improve throughout extended competitive seasons.
Similar to numerous Heroes of the Storm professionals, Khroen experienced significant career disruption when Blizzard Entertainment terminated official esports support for the MOBA title. He briefly addressed the emotional impact of this development and the significance of securing a new competitive opportunity.
“When the Heroes Global Championship circuit dissolved, I genuinely feared my competitive career might conclude permanently. However, within twelve months we’ve successfully transitioned back into professional esports competition,” Khroen stated on social media. “I’m grateful to Cloud9 for providing this competitive platform and will demonstrate complete commitment to this new challenge.”
JSchritte encountered comparable career circumstances following the HGC’s discontinuation. He established an impressive competitive record while participating in HGC Copa América tournaments during 2016 and 2017, representing organizations including Burning Rage and RED Canids. His career progression included transitioning to the North America Pro League in 2018 with No Tomorrow, but found himself without a competitive outlet when the season concluded and Blizzard withdrew support.
While the professional landscape appeared challenging for former Heroes of the Storm competitors, multiple athletes have successfully transitioned to alternative esports titles. Harrison “Psalm” Chang, previously a HotS professional under Tempo Storm’s banner, recently achieved second place at the prestigious 2019 Fortnite World Cup Solo Finals, demonstrating the transferability of strategic gaming skills across genres.
Cloud9’s management clearly anticipates JSchritte and Khroen establishing themselves among Teamfight Tactics’ elite competitors. The organization’s entry into this emerging competitive space reflects broader industry trends toward genre diversification and talent acquisition from established competitive backgrounds.
The transition from Heroes of the Storm to Teamfight Tactics presents unique strategic adaptation requirements. While both games emphasize team composition and synergistic abilities, TFT introduces additional layers of economic management and positioning strategy that require dedicated mastery. For players looking to understand similar strategic transitions in other games, our BF6 Class Selection Guide explores how professional gamers adapt core competencies across different gaming environments.
Successful genre transitions depend on identifying transferable skills while rapidly acquiring game-specific knowledge. Former MOBA professionals often excel in TFT due to their understanding of champion synergies and ability compositions, though they must develop new expertise in economy management and positioning tactics.
Action Checklist
- Analyze transferable skills from previous competitive experience
- Research new game’s competitive meta and strategic fundamentals
- Establish practice regimen focusing on game-specific mechanics
- Network with organizations expanding into new competitive titles
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