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SwordArt Announces Retirement from Professional LoL Play
Hu “SwordArt” Shuo-Chieh has announced his retirement from professional play earlier today. The 28-year-old most recently played for MGN Vikings Esports. After a career spanning over a decade across 4 regions, the Taiwanese Support is hanging up his mouse and keyboard – most likely for good. On the 28th of May, Shuo-Chieh bid farewell to his fans on Weibo.
Path Blazer for Taiwanese League of Legends
Short of the Taipei Assassins victory at Worlds Season 2, few Taiwanese players have had careers in League of Legends as prestigious as SwordArt's. The famed Support player made history in 2020 as the first LMS player to reach the Worlds Grand Finals stage since 2012 – thrusting his region once again into the game’s highest global spotlight.
Once considered a household name in the LMS, SwordArt defined the early generation of shotcalling players whose strategic prowess and leadership were instrumental in clinching trophies for their teams. These days, SwordArt has faded somewhat, struggling to reach the same heights he once grasped in 2020. However, his legacy continues to shine bright for the impact he brought to his region and teams.
“When I first started on this path, I was just a middle-school student who loved playing games and challenges. I never thought I would have the opportunity to become a player, and I never thought that so many people would always be with me and support me.
For me, retiring is not as good as leaving quietly.
So today, I use this video to thank you all – and thank the hard-working me in the past.
Next, I will continue to move forward in a different way, and I hope that we can continue to meet on the road in the future.”
A Historic Career Marked by Longevity
SwordArt’s career began in 2012, where he in fact debuted as a Mid Laner. He would catch his first career break with Flash Wolves, where he would be instrumental in helping the organization bring home multiple 1st place finishes in the LMS.
In 2015, Flash Wolves reached the quarterfinals of Worlds, their highest ever placement of all Worlds attended. The team would also go on to reach the semifinals of MSI 3 years in a row (2016, 2017, 2018).
SwordArt’s greatest career triumph came on his next team, Suning, where the team would finish 2nd place at Worlds 2020 after a powerful performance saw them reach the Grand Finals to face DAMWON Gaming.
His history-making prowess did not cease even then, with SwordArt also becoming the first ever LMS/PCS player to join the LCS, signing with TSM for $6 million USD (at the time believed to be the highest salary in North America) for the 2021 season.
Despite a semi-promising season, his time on TSM would be short-lived and SwordArt returned to the East, where he continued to compete for the likes of Weibo Gaming, Anyone’s Legend, and Ultra Prime before finally returning to the PCS (an amalgamation league that consisted of the former LMS among other leagues) in his final years as a pro player.
SwordArt’s retirement marks another closing chapter to one of the last vestiges of the old guard of League of Legends competitive history. While he may now be moving on to better and brighter things, his contributions to the scene, both as a player and Support have undoubtedly left their mark on the competitive landscape.
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Featured Image Credit: LoL Esports // Riot Games
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