EDITORS NOTE: This column is the sole opinion of the author and does not represent the opinion of GotFrag LLC or the opinion of any affiliates.

The Canadian legend himself Nick “Testie” Perentesis has been rumored to have accepted an invitation to join the Korean professional team CJ Entus. While contracts have still yet to be signed it is possible that we will see him in Korea by the end of 2007.

Let’s talk about his team, CJ Entus. On paper, their roster is packed with enough talent to make any team quiver in their sponsor-covered jumpsuit. With a delicate mixture of both newcomers and veterans who wouldn’t want to jump on this bandwagon? Not convinced yet? How does having Jae Hoon “sAviOr[gm]” Ma or Hyung Tae “IriS[gm]” Byun as practice partners sound then? Perhaps you’re into the older players. I can’t blame you for liking the players that helped transform the game of Starcraft as we know it. Ji Hoon “XellOs” Seo, The Perfect Terran, ring a bell? Yes, I thought it would. He is a member of CJ Entus as well. Not only will these players be your practice partners, but your roommates also.

This might seem like a Starcraft dream to any competitive player. However, from reading the testimonies of non-Koreans who have tested their luck it wasn’t exactly as they imagined.

Is Nick “Testie” Perentesis making the right move to join a professional team? Let’s take a look at some positive and negative aspects about him moving to South Korea.

Marketability

He is marketable. Just about every non-Korean that has entered the professional gaming domain made their team’s standout and gained a plethora of fans no matter how successful they were. Fans still reminisce on the days of old when the likes of Guilliame Patry’s name resonated throughout the television studios and gaming halls. Perhaps CJ Entus is looking for their Guilliame? Who are both coincidentally Canadians.


CJ Entus lacks Protoss

Nick is a random player by nature, but unfortunately, I just don’t think playing random is going to happen. He was invited because of the skill and potential that he has shown with his Protoss. This is exactly what CJ Entus is looking for. While there are hundreds of rising Protoss users who will soon be looking for a team, CJ is after someone that simply stands out from the crowd.

CJ is also seriously lacking in the Protoss department. Having only one player, Yeong Min “Much[gm]” Park with the experience needed to compete at the highest level (I am sure that he is seriously hoping for one of younger guys to step up). While some of their younger guys have the potential, the confidence that Testie brings to the table might be just what they’re looking for.


MYM.Testie or By.Testie?

Which tag will he be wearing? Most would assume that he will represent By clan mainly because they are a very familiar and credible team. However, a problem might come into play regarding contract issues if a contract was even signed upon him joining. He officially joined MYM on the 11th of January of 2007. Assuming that his contract lasts for a year, he will most likely be unable to sign on with CJ Entus until that contract expires unless some sort of agreement has already been conducted with MYM.

If he is in South Korea during this time then I would not expect him to be extending his contract with MYM. This would leave a serious hole in their already relatively inactive lineup. Unless MYM has plans in making some new additions to their Starcraft roster by the beginning of 2008 I regrettably believe we will not be seeing that team at the top of the leader boards anytime soon.


Starcraft II on the horizon

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few months then you should be aware that a sequel to Starcraft is in the works.

Not much is known as to what will happen in the professional leagues once the game has been released. There are rough plans in the works for the formation of two major leagues, one for Starcraft and another for Starcraft II. Could CJ’s reason for inviting Testie be to prepare for the launch of Starcraft II? I seriously do not believe this is the case. I am sure Starcraft II is on the minds of all of the coaches, but I do not think this move has anything to do with the upcoming release. The fact that he first received an invitation at BlizzCon back in August was most likely because of his strong play against the professionals in the invite tournament.


Language barrier

One of the biggest problems with bringing in a person that cannot speak Korean to your team is the language barrier. You might not think that speaking another language would be a major ordeal since you are strictly focusing on your game anywhere from 8-14 hours a day thus not leaving time for much socializing. However, as we have seen from certain individuals in the past, not being able to speak in your teammate’s native language isolates you.

Not being able to carry on a conversation in English other than through a webcam or telephone for several days might very well put a damper on your motivation to continue. Luckily for him, he will not be the only English speaker there playing Starcraft full-time. eSTRO, another professional team has already made their decision public to bring a North American into their ranks. Even though, they will not be living in the same house they can still actively speak to each other.


Non-Koreans generally not successful in Korea

Unfortunately, as we have seen in recent years non-Koreans who have attempted this lifestyle were not very successful. Ever since the days of Guillaume "Grrrr" Patry and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier no foreigner has been really been able to make a mark. Brian "Assem" Fransioli and Pete "Legionnaire" Neate, both moderately successful, were able to win a handful of their live television matches. Although, they were just not able to make it to the top of the professional gaming pyramid. Their lack of success and various other commitments would cause them to slowly fade away into retirement.

If I were Testie though I would not let this discourage me. He has played this game long enough to know what he is getting himself into. I am not saying that he will be able to win Starleague or become CJ's new ace player. I do believe though that he has a great chance in being successful as long as he is able to maintain a solid practice routine and listens to the advice of his teammates and coaches. After all, CJ Entus has a reputation for choosing the next big stars and perhaps they see something in Testie that none of us see.

If the rumors are true, I believe CJ Entus has made the right choice in pursuing him and will not regret this move.