{{Short description|German professional Overwatch player (1987–2017)}} {{Infobox video game player | ID = InternetHulk | name = Dennis Hawelka | image = InternetHulk (cropped).jpg | upright = 0.9 | caption = Hawelka in 2016 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1987|03|22}} | birth_place = Germany | death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|11|08|1987|03|22}} | death_place = Santa Monica, California | career_games = {{ubl|''Overwatch''|''League of Legends''}} | career_start = 2015 | career_end = 2017 | coach_start = 2017 | coach_end = 2017 | years1 = 2016 | team1 = IDDQD | years2 = 2016–2017 | team2 = Team EnVyUs | cyears1 = 2017 | cteam1 = Rogue{{efn|Temporary coach}} | cyears2 = 2017 | cteam2 = Team Liquid | highlights = *OGN APEX champion (2016) *MLG Vegas champion (2016) }}
'''Dennis Hawelka''' (March 22, 1987 – November 8, 2017), also known as '''InternetHulk''', was a German professional esports player and coach. He rose to prominence in 2016, after establishing and playing for team IDDQD in the beta release of ''Overwatch''. He went on to play for Team EnVyUs, winning several major tournaments, including season one of Overwatch Apex. In mid-2017, he transitioned to a coaching position for Team Liquid{{'s}} ''Overwatch'' team, and later for their ''League of Legends'' team.
Hawelka died in November 2017 due to an enlarged heart. Several tributes were made in his name, including the Overwatch League{{'s}} annual Dennis Hawelka Award.
==Early life== Hawelka was born in Neuss, Germany, to Jürgen and Gisela Hawelka on March 22, 1987.<ref>{{Cite AV media |author=Overwatch League |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YxyG_AzHV4 |title=Happy Birthday INTERNETHULK |date=March 22, 2019 |access-date=November 1, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Crusader Stands Watch - The Garden |url=https://internethulk.bio/chapter-one/ |website=internethulk.bio |access-date=November 2, 2022}}</ref>
==Career== Hawelka's esports career began with playing a multitude of game titles, including ''World of Warcraft'', ''League of Legends'', ''StarCraft 2'', and ''Call of Duty 1'' and ''2''. He won three ''World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King'' titles and was the first player in the world to reach the "Challenger" rank in season four of ''League of Legends''. He also played for Team Germany for ''Call of Duty 1'' and ''2''.<ref name="Hollander">{{cite news |last1=Hollander |first1=Matthias |title=Deutsche eSports-Legende verstorben |url=https://www.sport1.de/news/esports/overwatch/2017/11/esports-pro-dennis-internethulk-hawelka-mit-30-jahren-verstorben |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=Sport1 |date=November 9, 2017 |language=de}}</ref>
Hawelka began his ''Overwatch'' career in February 2016, founding and playing for team IDDQD.<ref name="Hollander" /><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Jin |editor1-first=Dal Yong |title=Global Esports: Transformation of Cultural Perceptions of Competitive Gaming |date=2021 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |location=New York |isbn=9781501368752 |page=155 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GPcYEAAAQBAJ}}</ref> From February to April 2016, during ''Overwatch''{{'s}} closed beta, he and the team did not lose a single series, and on April 23, 2016, they were signed by Team EnVyUs.<ref name="Holländer2">{{cite news |last1=Holländer |first1=Matthias |title=EnVyUs mit finalem Triumph in Korea |url=https://www.sport1.de/news/esports/overwatch/12/ogn-overwatch-apex-team-envyus-mit-finalem-triumph-in-korea |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=Sport1 |date=December 12, 2016 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=EnVy Reworks Overwatch Roster |url=https://envy.gg/envy-reworks-overwatch-roster/ |access-date=November 1, 2022 |date=April 23, 2016}}</ref> As the captain of the team, Hawelka led EnVyUs to a 57-game winning streak, spanning from June 11 to August 22, 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lingle |first1=Samuel |title=Rogue ends long EnVyUs winning streak in one of best Overwatch matches ever |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/rogue-beats-envyus-overwatch-3748 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=August 23, 2016}}</ref> He and the team went on to win the first season of Overwatch Apex, the premier ''Overwatch'' tournament series in South Korea, after defeating Afreeca Freecs Blue in the Grand Finals match in December 2016.<ref name="Holländer2" /> The same month, they won the MLG Vegas ''Overwatch'' Invitational, after defeating FaZe Clan 4–0 in the finals.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Alambeigi |first1=Alena |title=Team EnVyUs crowned MLG Vegas 'Overwatch' Invitational champions |url=https://news.yahoo.com/team-envyus-crowned-mlg-vegas-234523844.html |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=Yahoo News |date=December 19, 2016}}</ref> He also played for Team Germany in the 2016 and 2017 Overwatch World Cups.<ref name="Hollander" /> A month after a top-eight finish at Apex season 2 in March 2017, Hawelka departed from EnVyUs.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holländer |first1=Matthias |title=EnVyUs in der zweiten APEX-Phase |url=https://www.sport1.de/news/esports/overwatch/2017/03/die-besten-im-westen-envyus-in-der-overwatch-apex |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=Sport1 |date=March 9, 2017 |language=de}}</ref><ref name="Goslin">{{cite news |last1=Goslin |first1=Austen |title=Former pro player, coach INTERNETHULK passes away at 30 |url=https://www.heroesneverdie.com/2017/11/9/16630410/internethulk-team-liquid-envy-us-community |access-date=November 1, 2022 |work=Heroes Never Die |publisher=Polygon |date=November 9, 2017}}</ref>
In late April 2017, Hawelka was signed by Rogue as a temporary coach and strategic analyst for Apex season three.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Alonzo |first1=Damian |title=How pro Overwatch team Rogue's DPS tactics can help you on the ladder |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/how-pro-overwatch-team-rogues-dps-tactics-can-help-you-on-the-ladder/ |access-date=November 1, 2022 |work=PC Gamer |date=April 27, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Carpenter">{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Nicole |title=Former Team EnVyUs player INTERNETHULK will join Team Liquid as head coach |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/internethulk-envyus-team-liquid-14993 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> He was then signed by Team Liquid as the team's head coach on June 2, 2017.<ref name="Carpenter" /> Following the disbandment of Team Liquid's ''Overwatch'' division, Team Liquid picked up Hawelka as a coach for their ''League of Legends'' division for their upcoming 2018 season.<ref name="Goslin" /> Prior to his death in November 2017, Team Liquid co-CEO and owner Steve Arhancet planned to promote Hawelka to the team's head coach.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yim |first1=Miles |title=Team Liquid turns to caster Jatt as new League of Legends coach |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/esports/2020/05/04/team-liquid-coach-jatt/ |access-date=November 2, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 4, 2020}}</ref>
== Death == Hawelka died on November 7, 2017, in Santa Monica, California.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dennis Hawelka Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information |url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/dennis-hawelka-obituary?pid=187370081&fhid=8515 |website=Legacy.com |access-date=November 1, 2022 |language=en |date=November 28, 2017}}</ref> His death was announced the following day by Team Liquid owners Victor Goossen and Steve Arhancet via a statement on Twitter.<ref name="Goslin" /> While some initial reports stated that the cause of death was due to complications associated with tonsillitis,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Ali |title=Blizzard paid tribute to Internethulk during last night's Overwatch League |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/overwatch/internethulk-death |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=PCGamesN |date=September 11, 2017}}</ref> a forensic investigation revealed that his death was caused by an enlarged heart.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Nicole |title=INTERNETHULK's family thanks the community for their support |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/internethulk-update-parents-19802 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=December 28, 2017}}</ref>
Following his death, the ''Overwatch'' community organized the "Hulktastic Cup", a charity tournament to honor Hawelka and his contributions to the ''Overwatch'' community, which took place on November 11, 2017. The tournament raised over {{USD|10,000}} for charity and his family.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Nicole |title=Blizzard to honor INTERNETHULK with a seasonal Overwatch League award |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/dennis-internethulk-hawelka-award-overwatch-league-18721 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=November 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Ferguson |title=Overwatch League Award Created to Honor Recently Passed Coach, Dennis Hawelka |url=https://archive.esportsobserver.com/overwatch-league-honor-award/ |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=The Esports Observer |date=November 16, 2017}}</ref>
On November 16, 2017, Blizzard Entertainment added a tribute to Hawelka in ''Overwatch''. A white flower, candle, and symbol were added to the German-based map of Eichenwalde. In addition, the Overwatch League created the "Dennis Hawelka Award", an annual award given to the player deemed to have made the most positive impact on the community.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ring |first1=Oliver |title=Overwatch League introduces award in memory of INTERNETHULK |url=https://esportsinsider.com/2017/11/overwatch-league-introduces-award-memory-internethulk |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=Esports Insider |date=November 16, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Nicole |title=Blizzard adds in-game memorial for late Overwatch pro Dennis "INTERNETHULK" Hawelka |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/overwatch-memorial-internethulk-18778 |access-date=November 2, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=November 17, 2017}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}} {{Overwatch League}}
Category:1987 births Category:2017 deaths Category:German esports players Category:Overwatch players Category:Team Envy players Category:Overwatch coaches Category:League of Legends coaches