A player for the OWL’s Boston Uprising, DreamKazper, has recently been fired from his team. He was first suspended indefinitely by the OWL following allegations made against him of misconduct. However, once a number of screencaps of conversations with a 14 year old fan came to light, it became obvious that DreamKazper was soliciting illegal actions.

The dozens of screencaps outline an obsession that stemmed from an innocuous fan interaction. The girl in question followed DreamKazper on twitter because she enjoyed the team, but after he quickly followed her back, a communication began between the two. What followed was – from the girl’s own telling – a relationship that made her both uncomfortable and excited. On the one hand, she was getting attention from an esport pro, but on the other, she knew she wasn’t okay with what he was saying or how aggressively he was pushing her. She ultimately chose to cut ties with DreamKazper and publish all of their interactions, and it may be more than just a removal from his team that the player has to worry about.

It is likely that DreamKazper will be charged with Solicitation of Minor. While the penalties and complexities of the laws on solicitation vary, all states have ways of handling online solicitation of a minor, something which means that no physical contact ever has to be made in order for a crime to be committed, and it has been indicated that sexual photos were exchanged.

This news follows a slew of problems with players in the Overwatch League. Dallas Fuel has had two problem players: xQc and Taimou. First, xQc was suspended then fired for homophobic racist comments. Then Taimou was fined for a homophobic slur. The London Spitfire fined Profit for an obscene gesture, the Houston Outlaw’s coach was reprimanded for an offensive meme, and the Philadelphia Fusion recently handed down a three game suspension and fine of $2,000 to Eqo following a racist gesture.

Blizzard has often said that toxicity is a real problem with Overwatch, and they may be right. When toxicity has permeated even the culture of the professional scene, it may be time to reassess the culture of a game.