L1nk Announces Retirement from Professional Valorant

Travis "L1NK" Mendoza, a well-known figure in the Valorant community, announced his retirement from professional play in a heartfelt statement shared on X (formerly Twitter).

A Storied Career in Valorant

L1NK's professional journey in Valorant began in August 2020 when the Fish123 roster was acquired by Team Liquid. His time with Liquid was marked by significant achievements, including a first-place finish at the VCT 2021: EMEA Stage 2 Challengers Finals and VCT 2021: Europe Stage 3 Challengers 2. These victories cemented Team Liquid's reputation as one of the top teams in the region.

The team's performance at international events was also commendable, securing a fourth-place finish at the VCT 2021: Stage 2 Masters - Reykjavík and an impressive third-fourth place at VALORANT Champions 2021. However, in June 2022, L1NK was benched and subsequently released from Team Liquid the following month.

Team Liquid with L1nk at VALORANT Champions 2021 Quarterfinals (Image Source: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games)

A Brief Journey Through Various Teams

Following his departure from Team Liquid, L1NK had brief stints with Acend and the British orgless team Les Petits Bouffons. Despite LPB disbanding in June 2023, L1NK continued his professional career by joining UCAM Esports Club, a Spanish team. Under the UCAM banner, L1NK and his team achieved a notable fourth-place finish in the VALORANT Challengers 2024 Spain: Rising Split 1. His tenure with UCAM lasted until April 2024.

Transition to Full-Time Streaming

In his retirement announcement, L1NK expressed gratitude to his former teammates and everyone who supported him throughout his career. He also revealed his plans to transition to full-time streaming. Unlike his professional gaming career, L1NK's streams will not focus on a single game. Instead, he plans to share a variety of gaming experiences with his audience. Ranging from Valorant and RuneScape to World of Warcraft, Siege, and even GeoGuessr.

"For my next step, maybe some people would have guessed this. I'm going to try going to full-time streaming," L1NK shared. "I will not be streaming any one particular game. Like, I'm not gonna sit on, you know, Valorant 24-7, RuneScape 24-7, stuff like that. I'm just gonna stream, you know, if I'm playing a game, you're gonna see me playing it."

A New Chapter Begins

As L1NK moves into this new phase of his life, he invites fans and followers to join him on his streaming journey. He hopes to maintain the connection with his community while exploring a broader range of gaming content. Fans can follow him on his Twitch channel HERE.

"I just want to say thank you to everybody, and hopefully I see people dropping by in my stream, and if not, then thank you for the past four years."

With his retirement from professional play, L1NK leaves behind a legacy of competitive success and sportsmanship. The Valorant community will undoubtedly miss his presence in the competitive scene. But we can look forward to seeing him thrive in the world of streaming.

Featured Image Source: Jianhua Chen/Riot Games

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