Malcolm Gladwell once said it takes 10,000 hours to truly become a master of something. And this is undoubtedly the case for professional gamers.
While the basics of League of Legends haven’t changed all too much over the years, the game is frequently being updated with either nerfs, buffs, or new champions and items, meaning it takes even more time and dedication to stay up-to-date with every patch, which are released every two weeks.
So, pro players spend countless hours each day playing and training to stay ahead and catch up with all the new changes. And because time is such a limited resource, many things can fall on the back burner, which is what has happened to one competitive player.
Nicholas Antonio “Ablazeolive” Abbott has played competitive League for eight years, with stints in teams like TSM Academy, Golden Guardians, and Immortals.
The Immortals mid laner announced his retirement from competitive League of Legends on Twitter on March 20.
In this post, he explained that other aspects of his life have been stunted because of his professional League career and that he doesn’t want to keep pushing them aside.
Even though he is stepping down from competitive League, he is still considering what to do with his future, whether that be coaching, casting, school, or even streaming. And, the 24-year-old added, he’s open to opportunities that may arise.
While it is sad to see a veteran League pro player retire, Ablazeolive can now focus on other aspects of his life, a new gaming future, and other amazing opportunities.