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Team SouL's Harsh "Goblin" Paudwal, a prominent player in the Upthrust Esports Challengers Showdown match on Erangel, found himself eliminated earlier than his teammates, raising eyebrows among fans. The intriguing twist to this incident was that Goblin was live-streaming his point of view (POV) during the match, but after his elimination, he switched to streaming the official Upthrust Esports stream. This led some spectators to speculate whether Team SouL was involved in stream sniping, an unfair gaming practice.
Goblin and Sid Respond to Cheating Claims
Stream sniping, a controversial tactic where players gain an unfair advantage by viewing the official stream and providing callouts to their teammates, came under scrutiny as these allegations surfaced.
In response, Goblin promptly addressed the speculations on his stream, aiming to clear the air. He pointed out that the official stream had a significant delay, rendering any stream sniping attempts futile, even if they had been tempted to do so. Goblin also acknowledged that his streaming setup included an additional screen, which theoretically could have been used for stream sniping without detection on his main stream. However, he vehemently denied any involvement in such unsportsmanlike behavior. Instead, he explained that his intention in switching to the official stream after his elimination was to conceal the POVs of his fellow Team SouL members.
Supporting Goblin's explanation, Sid Joshi, the manager of Team SouL, stepped forward to address the cheating claims. Sid confirmed the presence of a five-minute delay in the official stream, whereas the Team SouL players experienced no delay in their gameplay. He clarified that Goblin refrained from providing callouts to his teammates or participating in the live chat, ensuring a level playing field. Sid also highlighted the fact that if stream sniping were as effortless as suggested, all 64 players in the tournament lobby could have potentially engaged in this unethical practice, as the competition took place online. Furthermore, Sid mentioned that he had already instructed Goblin to stream with a delay, a precaution that could have averted the entire controversy. Ultimately, Sid proposed that Goblin could have sidestepped the situation altogether by simply streaming his face cam instead of displaying the main stream.
As we await any official statements or potential investigations from Upthrust Esports, Goblin and Sid have presented their sides of the story. The issue of stream sniping or any form of unfair advantage remains a significant concern, as it undermines the integrity of the game and spoils the experience for other players.
