Ruan van Wyk · @ELUSIVEza
10th Feb 2019 from TwitLonger
My retirement
It's with great sadness that I announce the end of my gaming career. This decision did not come lightly, and is due to the following reasons
- My commitments have caught up to me
I studied Engineering in South Africa but I need to complete another year before getting my qualification. Unfortunately the degree changes in 2021, so I have to complete my studies before I lose all my credits. This has been a major concern for me since the start of this journey. I don't really see a future where I can create a sustainable life for myself in gaming. From a financial perspective the only money we've made has been from tournament winnings. The majority of that money was used during our time in North America. Fortunately the other guys in the team are young, and have a lot of years left in the industry.
- I lost my passion for the game
I started playing CS 13 years ago. I had a hunger and a drive to be the best, so I decided to make this my primary focus. Unfortunately my passion was lost somewhere along the way when I started playing full-time. With the departure of Detrony from the lineup, the team has to go through a "build-up" phase with a new player. I decided it's best for everyone if I leave now instead of a year down the line, so the team won't have to go through this process again. The team decided to look at Domsterr and Blackpoison to replace myself and Detrony from the previous lineup. They're both incredibly skilled and motivated players. I believe they will achieve great things and make South Africa proud!
- I desire a stable and secure lifestyle
This journey has been the best and the worst experience of my life. I've learned a lot during my career and it's made me the person I am today. Living in a house with 5 guys in a different country can have its ups and downs. Personally I experienced more of the latter. There are many uncertainties with this lifestyle, so I intend to finish my studies and start a life with more stability and security.
We set out to put South African CS on the map, and I firmly believe that we've done that and opened the doors for South African gamers! I have no bad feelings towards anyone in the team, and I wish them nothing but success in the future! I also want to thank the North American CS community for being so accommodating during my time here.