As Kotaku originally reports, pro StarCraft II player Steffen “Lillekanin” Hovmand has been suspended for the remainder of the WCS 2015 season.
Hovmand used a tactic known as “turtling” during a match against Finnish Zerg player Wenlei “ZhuGeLiang,” which ended up dragging the game out to over three hours long.
According to The Daily Dot:
“Hovmand adopted a stall tactic by rushing Ravens and using them to delay the match using their abilities as cost efficient defense. Auto-Turrets combined with Point Defense Drones, which make his other units and the turrets tough to take down, make it nearly impossible for a Zerg player to break through without a lengthy war of attrition. Dai adopted such a strategy, massing Swarm Hosts to slowly break down Hovmand, leading to a tediously long affair.”
The reason for suspension, however, is not poor sportsmanship. Hovmand checked social media and Twitch during the insanely long match, in addition to chatting “IM A TERRORIST” in an all-in attempt to end the match in his favor.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen social media used during a match, and in general, such an act will get you disqualified.
As eSports grows, it will be interesting to watch and see how teams, managers, and players respond to more money, fame, and attention being given to players on increasingly large stages.
Regarding the future of StarCraft, everything Blizzard has indicated about its upcoming standalone expansion, Legacy of the Void, points towards more aggressive matches with a shorter time frame. This is easier on both viewers and players, and makes the game much more tournament friendly. Three hour standoffs, after all, don’t really make for the best entertainment.
