Heroes of the Storm's Team Naventic expanded its reach into a new space Friday with the signing of fighting game player Peter "Flash Metroid" Susini.
Flash Metroid has recently seen success in Street Fighter V, where he's currently ranked 20th on the Capcom Pro Tour standings worldwide and seventh in North America. Flash Metroid will compete under the Naventic banner for the first time at Community Effort Orlando, which starts on June 24.
For the past few months -- since the game entered the competitive circuit -- Flash Metroid has taken top 10 at every event he has attended. In May, he took second at Combo Breaker 2016 in Street Fighter V, losing in the grand finals to legendary Evil Geniuses fighting game player Justin Wong. Prior to that, he notched top 10 finishes at PAX Arena East, Final Round, CEO Presents SFV #1, and Tampa Never Sleeps.
"We're excited to pick up a player such as Flash," Naventic co-owner Ray Arsenault tells ESPN about his team's new acquisition. "He brings a lot of passion and fits perfectly into what we're building at Naventic. You will be able to see him play his first tournament under the Naventic banner at Community Effort Orlando as well as more Capcom Pro Tour Events."
In-game, Flash Metroid is primarily a Vega player, but he has also played Rainbow (R.) Mika at times. Flash Metroid is arguably the best Vega main in the game right now, with only a handful of top players picking up the character.
Prior to competing in Street Fighter V, Flash Metroid played the various versions of Street Fighter 4, playing the likes of Gen, Zangeif, Viper, Adon, and Abel. He also competed in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, using Doctor Doom, Modok, and Doctor Strange.
His new team, Naventic, is a newer organization that was rebranded from the now-defunct esports organization Swarm Gaming. Naventic's first foray into the scene came with the signing of the Bob Ross Fan Club, a top North American Heroes of the Storm team led by brothers Christopher "Zuna" Buechter and Kenneth "Kenma" Buechter.
"Joining Naventic will allow me to travel to more events and just focus on playing at the best of my ability," Flash Metroid tells ESPN. "I'm excited for what the future holds."
For now, Flash Metroid will look to continue competing at the highest level of Street Fighter V. With the likes of Justin Wong currently dominating domestically, international tournaments such as CEO and EVO this summer will show just how strong North American players have become, for the first time since Red Bull Kumite. Internationally, the scene's leader is Lee "Infiltration" Seon-woo, who will likely prove to be the final boss of competition this year.