# 2021 Atlanta Reign season

The 2021 Atlanta Reign season was the Atlanta Reign's third season in the Overwatch League and the team's third under head coach Brad "Sephy" Rajani. The team qualified for three of the four midseason tournaments but fell short of reaching the finals each time. For the third consecutive season, the team qualified for the season playoffs. The Reign appeared in the 2021 Grand Finals, the franchise's first Grand Finals appearance, but lost to the Shanghai Dragons, 0–4. Rookie damage player Oh "Pelican" Se-hyun was named the league's Rookie of the Year.

## Preceding offseason
### Roster changes

The Reign entered the free agency with six free agents, four of which became free agents due to the Reign not exercising the option to retain the player for another year.

#### Acquisitions

The Reign's first offseason acquisition was Oh "Pelican" Se-hyun, a damage player who had recently won Overwatch Contenders Korea with team O2 Blast, on November 13, 2020. Atlanta did not sign another player until February; on February 11, 2021, they signed Kai "Kai" Collins, a damage player who had signed with the Los Angeles Valiant in late 2020 but was released after the team dropped all of their players.

#### Departures

None of the Reign's free agents returned, three of which signing with other teams, beginning with damage player Jeong "Erster" Jun signing with the Shanghai Dragons on November 17, 2020. The Reign lost two more players in Tank player Nathan "Frd" Goebel and support player Anthony "Fire" King, both of whom signed with the Vancouver Titans on December 1, 2020. On January 4, 2021, support player Dusttin "Dogman" Bowerman announced his retirement. Two other free agents, damage player Garrett "Saucy" Roland and tank player Park "Pokpo" Hyeon-jun, did not sign with another team in the 2021 offseason. Outside of their free agents, the team released damage player Hugo "SharP" Sahlberg on February 10, 2021, giving life to rumors that the team was looking to sign former Los Angeles Valiant damage player Kai "Kai" Collins.

## Regular season

The Reign began their 2021 season on April 17, playing against the Florida Mayhem in the May Melee qualifiers; they lost their opener 1–3. Atlanta faced the Toronto Defiant the following day; despite starting the match with a 2–0 lead, the Reign lost the match 2–3. The Reign found their first win of the season on April 29 with a 3–0 sweep over the Paris Eternal. Atlanta's final match in the May Melee qualifiers was on May 1 against the San Francisco Shock. Needing a win to advance to the knockout round, Atlanta opened the match with a 1–0 lead, thanks in part to a strong performance by rookie damage player Se-hyun "Pelican" Oh playing as Mei. However, they lost three of the following four maps to lose the match 2–3. The 1–3 record in the qualifiers failed to advance the Reign to the regional knockouts.
The team found success in the following tournament cycle, the June Joust; after going 3–1 in the qualifiers, the Reign defeated the San Francisco Shock in the regional knockout finals to advance to the June Joust tournament. However, the team lost in the lower bracket finals to the Shanghai Dragons by a 0–3 scoreline.
Atlanta found similar results in the Summer Showdown, defeating the Los Angeles Gladiators in the regional finals to advance to their second consecutive midseason tournament. The Reign ultimately fell in the first round of the lower bracket in a 2–3 loss to the Dallas Fuel.
In the final tournament cycle, the Countdown Cup, the Reign qualified for their third consecutive tournament appearance. However, Reign rookie Oh "Pelican" Se-hyun suffered a collapsed lung prior to the tournament. Atlanta fell in the tournament to the Chengdu Hunters by a score of 0–3. The team finished the regular season with 11 wins, 5 losses, 13 league points, and the fifth seed in the season playoffs.
Oh "Pelican" Se-hyun was awarded the league's Rookie of the Year award and was an MVP candidate for the 2021 regular season.

## Playoffs

In the first round of the 2021 season playoffs, the Reign fell to the third-seeded Chengdu Hunters, 2–3, sending Atlanta to the lower bracket of the tournament. Atlanta ran through the lower bracket, defeating the eighth-seeded Washington Justice, 3–0, the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Gladiators, 3–2 the sixth-seeded San Francisco Shock, 3–1, and the second-seeded Dallas Fuel, 3–1. With a run through the lower bracket, the Reign advanced to the 2021 Overwatch League Grand Finals. In the finals, the Reign faced the top-seeded Shanghai Dragons; Atlanta was swept 0–4 in the matchup.

## Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | Pts | PCT | MW | ML | MT | MD | Qualification |
| 1 | Dallas Fuel | 16 | 11 | 5 | 17 | 0.688 | 40 | 26 | 3 | +14 | Advance to season playoffs |
| 2 | Los Angeles Gladiators | 16 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 0.688 | 41 | 21 | 0 | +20 | Advance to season playoffs |
| 3 | Atlanta Reign | 16 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 0.688 | 41 | 21 | 0 | +20 | Advance to season playoffs |
| 4 | San Francisco Shock | 16 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 0.750 | 43 | 24 | 2 | +19 | Advance to play-ins |
| 5 | Houston Outlaws | 16 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 0.688 | 34 | 24 | 3 | +10 | Advance to play-ins |
| 6 | Washington Justice | 16 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 0.563 | 29 | 26 | 2 | +3 | Advance to play-ins |
| 7 | Toronto Defiant | 16 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 0.563 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | Advance to play-ins |
| 8 | Paris Eternal | 16 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 32 | 32 | 2 | 0 | Advance to play-ins |
| 9 | Boston Uprising | 16 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 0.438 | 27 | 31 | 1 | −4 | Advance to play-ins |
| 10 | Florida Mayhem | 16 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 0.313 | 26 | 38 | 2 | −12 | |
| 11 | London Spitfire | 16 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 0.063 | 12 | 47 | 1 | −35 | |
| 12 | Vancouver Titans | 16 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 0.063 | 10 | 45 | 0 | −35 | |

## Game log
### Regular season

2021 game log :
May Melee
Qualifier match 1
April 17
Atlanta Reign
1
3
Florida Mayhem
Online
4:30 pm EDT
   Details
1
Ilios
2
2
Eichenwalde
1
0
Watchpoint: Gibraltar
1
1
Hanamura
2
Qualifier match 2
April 18
Toronto Defiant
3
2
Atlanta Reign
Online
6:00 pm EDT
   Details
0
Nepal
2
2
Blizzard World
3
3
Dorado
2
2
Temple of Anubis
1
2
Busan
0
Qualifier match 3
April 29
Paris Eternal
0
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
3:00 pm EDT
   Details
1
Busan
2
2
Hanamura
3
2
Eichenwalde
3
Qualifier match 4
May 01
San Francisco Shock
3
2
Atlanta Reign
Online
6:00 pm EDT
   Details
0
Oasis
2
3
Volskaya Industries
2
2
King's Row
3
3
Havana
0
2
Nepal
0 :
June Joust
Qualifier match 1
May 22
Houston Outlaws
1
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
4:30 pm EDT
   Details
2
Ilios
0
1
Hollywood
3
2
Junkertown
3
0
Hanamura
2
Qualifier match 2
May 23
Atlanta Reign
3
0
London Spitfire
Online
3:00 pm EDT
   Details
2
Lijiang Tower
0
3
Eichenwalde
2
3
Dorado
1
Qualifier match 3
May 29
Atlanta Reign
1
3
Los Angeles Gladiators
Online
6:00 pm EDT
   Details
1
Busan
2
3
Rialto
4
1
Volskaya Industries
0
2
Numbani
3
Qualifier match 4
May 30
Vancouver Titans
0
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
4:30 pm EDT
   Details
0
Nepal
2
0
Dorado
3
0
Temple of Anubis
2
Regional semifinals
June 06
Boston Uprising
0
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
4:30 pm EDT
   Details
0
Lijiang Tower
2
1
Temple of Anubis
2
3
Numbani
5
Regional finals
June 06
Atlanta Reign
3
0
San Francisco Shock
Online
7:15 pm EDT
   Details
2
Nepal
0
2
Hanamura
1
4
Hollywood
3
Tournament first round
June 10
New York Excelsior
0
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
9:00 pm EDT
   Details
0
Lijiang Tower
2
2
Temple of Anubis
4
3
Numbani
4
Upper finals
June 11
Dallas Fuel
3
1
Atlanta Reign
Online
9:00 pm EDT
   Details
1
Nepal
2
3
Volskaya Industries
2
3
Numbani
2
2
Rialto
1
Lower finals
June 12
Shanghai Dragons
3
0
Atlanta Reign
Online
12:00 midnight EDT
   Details
2
Lijiang Tower
1
3
Hanamura
2
4
Numbani
3 :
Summer Showdown
Qualifier match 1
July 02
Washington Justice
0
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
4:30 pm EDT
   Details
1
Busan
2
0
Junkertown
1
2
Volskaya Industries
3
Qualifier match 2
July 04
Atlanta Reign
2
3
Dallas Fuel
Online
3:00 pm EDT
   Details
1
Nepal
2
3
Route 66
1
0
Temple of Anubis
2
3
Eichenwalde
2
0
Busan
2
Qualifier match 3
July 08
Atlanta Reign
3
0
London Spitfire
Online
3:00 pm EDT
   Details
2
Ilios
1
3
Volskaya Industries
2
1
King's Row
0
Qualifier match 4
July 10
Atlanta Reign
3
0
Boston Uprising
Online
3:00 pm EDT
   Details
2
Lijiang Tower
0
2
Hanamura
1
3
Hollywood
2
Regional finals
July 11
Los Angeles Gladiators
2
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
7:50 pm EDT
   Details
0
Lijiang Tower
2
1
Temple of Anubis
0
0
King's Row
1
1
Watchpoint: Gibraltar
0
1
Nepal
2
Tournament first round
July 15
Atlanta Reign
0
3
Shanghai Dragons
Online
11:00 pm EDT
   Details
0
Nepal
2
1
Hanamura
2
0
King's Row
3
Lower round 1
July 16
Atlanta Reign
2
3
Dallas Fuel
Online
11:15 pm EDT
   Details
0
Lijiang Tower
2
2
Hanamura
1
5
King's Row
6
3
Route 66
2
1
Nepal
2 :
Countdown Cup
Qualifier match 1
July 31
Atlanta Reign
3
2
Los Angeles Gladiators
Online
4:30 pm EDT
   Details
2
Lijiang Tower
1
1
Blizzard World
2
3
Route 66
2
1
Temple of Anubis
2
2
Oasis
0
Qualifier match 2
August 01
Atlanta Reign
3
0
Houston Outlaws
Online
3:00 pm EDT
   Details
2
Nepal
1
3
King's Row
2
2
Rialto
1
Qualifier match 3
August 07
Florida Mayhem
2
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
4:30 pm EDT
   Details
0
Oasis
2
3
Havana
2
2
Hanamura
0
1
Numbani
3
1
Nepal
2
Qualifier match 4
August 08
Atlanta Reign
3
1
Dallas Fuel
Online
4:30 pm EDT
   Details
2
Busan
0
4
Rialto
3
3
Temple of Anubis
4
3
Blizzard World
0
Regional finals
August 15
Toronto Defiant
1
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
6:15 pm EDT
   Details
1
Busan
2
3
Volskaya Industries
3
3
King's Row
5
1
Route 66
0
1
Oasis
2
Tournament first round
August 19
Seoul Dynasty
1
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
9:00 pm EDT
   Details
2
Busan
0
2
Hanamura
3
4
Numbani
5
1
Route 66
3
Upper finals
August 20
Los Angeles Gladiators
3
0
Atlanta Reign
Online
9:00 pm EDT
   Details
2
Oasis
0
4
Hanamura
2
3
King's Row
0
Lower finals
August 21
Atlanta Reign
0
3
Chengdu Hunters
Online
12:00 midnight EDT
   Details
1
Ilios
2
1
Hanamura
2
1
Blizzard World
2 :
2021 season schedule :

### Postseason

2021 playoff game log :
Season Playoffs
Upper round 1
September 22
Atlanta Reign
2
3
Chengdu Hunters
Online
1:30 am EDT
   Details
2
Nepal
0
3
Temple of Anubis
4
4
King's Row
3
2
Dorado
3
0
Oasis
2
Lower round 1
September 22
Washington Justice
0
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
7:00 pm EDT
   Details
0
Nepal
2
0
Temple of Anubis
2
1
King's Row
3
Lower round 2
September 23
Atlanta Reign
3
2
Los Angeles Gladiators
Online
7:00 pm EDT
   Details
0
Ilios
2
3
Hanamura
2
5
King's Row
4
1
Dorado
2
2
Nepal
0
Lower round 3
September 24
San Francisco Shock
1
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
9:00 pm EDT
   Details
2
Nepal
0
2
Hanamura
3
1
King's Row
3
2
Havana
3
Lower final
September 24
Atlanta Reign
3
1
Dallas Fuel
Online
10:30 pm EDT
   Details
1
Lijiang Tower
2
2
Hanamura
1
4
King's Row
3
3
Dorado
2
Grand Finals
September 25
Atlanta Reign
0
4
Shanghai Dragons
Online
9:00 pm EDT
   Details
0
Ilios
2
2
Hanamura
3
5
King's Row
6
2
Havana
3 :