Mthja · @mthjaCR
1st Jan 2019 from TwitLonger
Goodbye @clashroyale
I am retiring as a Clash Royale professional player.
I thought I would put this as my main line so people who have no interest in my reasoning and key moments still know what this message will be about yet can stop reading here.
The key reasoning behind my retirement is to set my priorities straight, I always failed to make a definite choice between Esports and College, 2 years went to traveling the world visiting amazing places, meeting the greatest people and experiencing different cultures.
2 years long my choice was esports, and as of recent I realised my goals I had set for my personal life had faded into my weekly schedules of practicing the game, traveling and streaming.
I am extremely greatful for the opportunities that presented themselves over the year due to Clash Royale. The game is only getting bigger day by day and the future is looking bright for mobile esports. This is however not my future.
Personally I never felt close to being an outstanding good player, I failed many chances and oppertunities behind the scenes to become a great and loved player within the community. That's all to blame on me. The choice between esports and college was extremely hard especially when there were no actual events hosted asside from some spanish exceptions. I always wanted to keep the door open to either go back to studying or Clash Royale.
This took a toll on both, I did worse in live tournaments and my grades went downhill. I never made the definite choice between my education and my esports carreer.
Untill a year ago atleast.
In 2018 I made the choice by signing with SK Gaming, to represent them as a full-time player of the game, spending 3 months dedicated to the grind.
Now that season 1 ended, and so my contract I choose for my personal life. I want to persue my degree in media and communication and focus on other goals I had set before the game became a crucial part of my daily life routine.
It's funny isn't it? How I happened to join a ladder clan placed 27th within the Netherlands, happened to not have enough trophies to join the main clan and get kicked from the clan together with a player called "Surgical Goblin" and 20 other individuals. Specifically talk to Surgical Goblin and due to his competitive drive get more involved in that mindset?
How I happened to run into Sui Jeneris in Hammers Esports because Clout Gaming refused my application and thus meet one of the most supportive managers to me in both online and offline?
How I watched a recommended youtube video of Soking's first live event, looking at multiple Team Queso videos. Sending Alvaro845 a message on discord, and end up being in the main lineup with Team Queso a year later?
Even how I jokingly submitted a verification request on twitter and became the first player of clash royale to be verified (the hate was amazing to read by the way)
Life is all about luck sometimes - esports? most definitely, I am a living example of that.
Esports in general is fascinating, it's growing so fast that it was extremely exciting to be a part of that. Important to mention is that I am by no means ruling out any other role within esports in the near or far future untill my studies begin. There is just no place for me behind that stage desk any longer. There are younger, faster talents on the rise; feel free to ask for help if you ever struggle to find what you desire in Clash Royale. Sometimes it takes an old veteran to teach you the new stuff.
I will try keep up the content on twitter and perhaps twitch or youtube for the remainder of 2019, unsure if this will be clash royale related. I would love to stay involved with some topics and the progress of both the game and the community coming years.
I want to thank some individuals for supporting me throughout my "carreer" as people always tend to do that in retirement notes I guess. (mostly focussed on the people who have played crucial roles in my decisions and mindset rather than people who have cheered me up -- As many did this I would write an even longer "essay".
Clash With Ash: Tim you've been amazing, you were frankly the only person in ALREADY 2016 that gave me the freedom to explore my passion with different styles of work I did for you, this contributed a lot to my creative vision of what I want to do in the future. You're a pilar in this community and genuinly one of the nicest caring souls out there. Thank you for the projects you got me involved in as this taught me so much. Just thank you :).
Sui: Man every quote you sent me on a daily base either when my mood was up or down you helped me and believed in me despite the community thinking differently at the time. I am beyond greatful for the oppertunities that you have presented. You were the only one that did not laugh at my wicked ideas but embraced them. Thank you
Surgical Goblin: Hey Frank zou het bijna in het Nederlands doen ;P. Despite our differences I cherish the moments of the present and of the past. Where we called on Skype about what clan to fuse with to become number 1 in the Netherlands, or to call during the 15k tournaments. It's amazing to have been there since day 1 of the creation of what now is "THE SURGICAL GOBLIN" I was your first subscriber and I am so happy to have had the crazy adventures we had in many countries together. Thank you Frank; 2019 is your year.
Team Queso, Alvaro, Alicia, Fuyur, Soking, Cuchi, Varik0, Pou and damn the whole team of analysts coaches, players that were there when I played for you guys. The first time you flew me over to have dinner and paintball I was the happiest guy alive, without you guys I don't think I'd have made the decision to do esports. You showed me what esports can be (a family). Thank you for that.
Ben: pal quit the mountain dew addiction it's getting out of hand.
I am kidding, thank you for listening and to not turn me down for my crazy personality or my personal issues. You were there and man you never left. Thank you.
To all teams I have been a part of: Managers, ex-team members, friends... thank you.
To all the people I have signed something for at fan meetings or live events, taken pictures with I will not forget those moments. (Especially my first fan meeting in Barcelona that blew my mind away)
There are some individuals that deserve more respect from people that follow me or simply read this. You may not always see their kindness from just their tweets. There are so many more names I would and could add to this list , for example: Alvi for being there since I lowkey had 10 followers and he never really left (he's like that parasite that bites in your flesh and refuses to leave for the next 10 years, love you man) or CMC who always shares my streams. Or the SK crew in Los Angeles for example in having many silly yet funny moments throughout a serious year. Everyone who I have had the time to talk to in the past and said "thank you" to at any given point in time knows how appreciative I am.
I'll cherish these 2-3 professional years as something amazing, because of you guys.
thank you