TenZ is someone who has defined Valorant’s competitive history from the very days it started. His time with Sentinels has made him one of the biggest names in the game, someone who had millions of fans and won multiple international titles. However, he suddenly announced that he’s retiring from pro play.
The reason he gave behind retiring from competitive play was wanting to live his life outside of the game a bit more, pursuing other interests and stepping away from the rigorous schedule that comes with being a pro player.
“I’ve known since the start of this year. I told myself, ‘This is my last year.’ It was definitely for me to give it my all and play without any regrets,” he explained.
Forever the face of Valorant@TenZOfficial announces his retirement from competitive play pic.twitter.com/1zjfWUaoL0
— Sentinels (@Sentinels) September 14, 2024
“There’s just a lot of stuff that I wanna do outside of the game that I’m very ambitious about, stuff that I definitely needed more time in my own schedule to chase after.”
He didn’t rule out subbing in for Sentinels every once in a while if they needed it, but he’s officially stepping away from the starting roster.
In a follow-up video, TenZ revealed that he told his teammates that he’d be retiring as a competitor right before Valorant Champions Seoul.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
I'm grateful for this incredible journey, and it's time to start a new one.Thank you for your support! pic.twitter.com/lfK4NUZF34
— TenZ (@TenZOfficial) September 14, 2024
He said the decision was a “no-brainer” with how well his content is doing on its own and claimed that his teammates understood when he told them that he’d be stepping away.
TenZ is known as one of the best Duelist players to ever touch Valorant, with him sometimes making the most important matches of the year look like one-sided stomps in ranked. Few players have gotten 5Ks in competitive play like he has.
He even managed to swap roles, with him playing Agents like Omen and Gekko more toward the end of his career and focusing on playing for the team. It was a huge departure from his preference toward Duelists like Reyna and Jett when he won his first international title in 2021, but the change worked out considering Sentinels won their second international title this year.
Currently, TenZ is the only North American player to have two Masters event wins, and he’ll be ending his career on a high note.