On September 23rd, Hi-Rez Studios (the makers of Smite who run the tournaments) updated their page on Bipolar Method listing them now as OrbitGG. This was surprising to many fans considering the fact that organization of Orbit has a very poor reputation within the Smite community. This was due to an incident they had in the SCL regarding an agreement with their players.

Before the SWC (Smite World Championship), their team (from the Console League) asked Orbit for last minute fo two flights (later asked for four) and hotel rooms. In return, Orbit would get 50% of their winnings. After the SWC, however, one player (Peny) refused to pay. There was no legal way to make them give the money either because they “took their word for it.”

Then one of Orbit’s employees said, “Things that shouldn’t have been said” about Peny on Twitter, which turned much of the community against them. Though the employee was fired, the damage was done. (All of this was confirmed on an official statement that Orbit released September 17th where they also expressed their desire to get back into Smite.)

Many find it even stranger that Bipolar Method decided to join Orbit, considering their past with organizations such as Paradigm and Epsilon. But Emil “Lawbster” Evensen (Bipolar Method’s mid laner and team captain) reassured fans that “After all that happened with our previous organization and management, teaming up with Orbit is going to be a load off my shoulders and I am personally very relieved to be working with Orbit and especially the CEO Patrik, someone I have been talking to for months now. I genuinely have nothing but positive things to say about the man in charge. Even though Orbit has had its mishaps in the console league with SMITE, and to clarify me and the boys do realize what has happened in the past. I have personally reached out to the players involved in said mishaps to help me understand the situation, and I go into this organisation genuinely believing Orbit has the players’ best interest as priority. I believe Orbit suffered from a few rotten apples and as of recent has been attacked as an organisation. Now that Orbit has laid off said apples  the org seems to be a very ambitious, growing and caring organisation. I’m going to do everything in my power, and I know my boys will do as well, to help Orbit back into SMITE with a new fresh start, and to get rid of orbits bad reputation within the SMITE community.”

Orbit CEO Patrik Andersson said, “It has been a very long, bumpy road to signing this team due to all the problems with our past in SMITE, but we were able to come to terms with a deal and we couldn’t be happier. The team has shown consistency and professionalism at all times throughout their careers and that is what truly makes an elite Esports team.”

This has been a major step up for Orbit. They went from sponsoring an average Console League team to sponsoring the number one seed in the European SPL (Smite Pro League) during LANS. This means they’ll be taking the Bipolar method into the SWC, and they’ll reap all the benefits associated with doing so (such as profit, and advertising).

One thing that they’ve done to try to repair their reputation is keeping the original roster together. This roster (Kieran “Funballer” Patidar ADC, Jeppe “Trixtank” Gylling Support, Emil “Lawbster” Evensen mid-laner/team captain, Ander “QvoFred” Korsbo, and Jeroen “Xaliea” Klaver) is the oldest one in the SPL. They’ve been through three SWC’s and have gone through several organizations without ever changing their roster. Many teams do change rosters when they get picked up by an organization, which is what makes this roster different from the rest. Of course this is to Orbit’s advantage in several ways because the team evidently works well together, and changing the roster would likely anger fans.

Though many find Bipolar Method’s choice of organization surprising, most aren’t surprised that they got picked up. Smite Fan and AHS student Ben Fraser, “It only makes sense that they got picked up so fast because they are [1st] in EU.”

Though, no matter what fans think, it’ll be interesting to see Orbit GG play this Friday in Group A on day 1 of LANS.