Former Dark Sided DPS player Jake “termo“ Hickman announced via TwitLonger that he has retired from competitive Overwatch. Termo said that his decision to retire was due to not enjoying the game anymore and feeling like the competing felt more like a chore.
You can view his full post down below:
The title says it. This has been a decision I’ve been wrestling with for a while now. There is nothing quite like competing, and having the opportunity to play in front of the crowd at MEO was an incredible experience. There was a time when I was younger and my love for video games and competition was fierce, however sadly this is becoming decreasingly so. I can no longer justify putting in the immense amount of time that is required to be competitive, for little to no monetary reward nor enjoyment.
My heart is no longer in it. Can I really be the best if I do not enjoy it 80% of the time? If playing on a daily basis feels like a chore? No, I must quit. It seems like an obvious decision, but ah, the sunk cost fallacy. It’s been hard to walk away given how much time and effort I’ve put in to try and achieve my own definition of success. Nonetheless I am doing so, and believe it is the best decision for me. This will give me time to reflect on what I want to pursue in my life moving forward.
While I have not achieved my goal of making competitive Overwatch into a career I am both proud and satisfied with my accomplishments with teams I’ve been a part of over the last 2 years. I have many fond memories, and these will not be forgotten.
There may be a time in the future where the monetary reward for playing is greater in our region. I hope that this comes to fruition because there are many talented, hard working players that deserve more than what is currently being offered.
To all of you, I wish you luck. The path to pro is a difficult one indeed
