New Direction for Team Norse Thunder
With the dawn of the new year comes a new direction for Team Norse Thunder as the team reshapes its focus and its roster. Starting from January 1st 2020, new Pokemon TCG and Hearthstone divisions will be added to the team's list of gaming titles it competes in, while the Exodus TCG will be dropped.
Karys Belfield has joined the roster to lead the Pokemon TCG division, while Phoebe Belfield will act as in support and practice partner role. Karys, who has been receiving support from Team Norse Thunder for the last couple of months, is currently in the senior's age division of the game and is working towards qualifying for the 2020 Pokemon TCG World Championships. She has previously been ranked within the top 32 players in Europe, so she’s an exciting addition to the roster!
Meanwhile, Team Norse Thunder's founding member, Dave Scotford, will represent the team as a Hearthstone player alongside his role running the day-to-day operations. He has previously been ranked as the world’s top Exodus TCG player and finished 11th at the 2018 World Championships, but is now looking to horizons new.
Speaking about the changes, Dave said: “A lot of work has been put in behind the scenes over the last couple of months and we're really excited about what's to come. Change is scary sometimes, but we can't wait to get started on this.
"Karys is an excellent Pokemon player and we're lucky to be able to bring her on board - she'll do well this year and I can't wait to see her qualify for the World Championships. I've been around the game since it came out, so seeing someone coming on board with a real talent is exciting.
"Hearthstone is something new: I've loved playing the game so far and it's something I want to put more time into. Hopefully, this year will be one where I can get a good foundation before becoming more competitive the year after.
The restructure sees Exodus TCG dropped from the titles that the team compete in, and Zach Carlson and Ashley Burns leave the team. Team Norse Thunder was set up as the world's first Exodus TCG team and saw all three of its roster at the time qualify for the 2018 World Championships, with 10th and 11th place finishes achieved.
Explaining the decision to move away from the Exodus TCG, Dave said: "We've been really enjoying being a part of the Exodus TCG community and it's a great game. We've learnt a lot and we want to go on and apply that to bigger game titles - Pokemon TCG and Hearthstone give us that opportunity."
Away from the gaming tables, the day-to-day operations that support the team are set to be stepped up. Plans for a community-focused local game store will be announced in the near future while an upgraded web presence will help the team grow. An official Twitch channel has also been set up and players from the team will be streaming Pokemon TCGO and Hearthstone games on a regular basis.