“I never thought that so many people would always support me”: SwordArt announces his retirement

After more than a decade at the top of competitive League of Legends, Hu ‘SwordArt’ Shuo-Chieh has officially announced his retirement from professional play.

In a heartfelt message shared on his Weibo account, the Taiwanese support player reflected on his journey—from a middle schooler who loved video games to one of the most respected players in the global League of Legends scene.

Once a household name in the LMS—a region disbanded in 2019 that had teams from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau—and LPL leagues, SwordArt represented a generation of players whose strategic minds and leadership helped shape the early international League of Legends esport scene—though many newer fans may know him only by name, if at all.

In his farewell message on Weibo, translated from Chinese to English via Google Translate, SwordArt said that when he first got into League of Legends, he was just a middle school student who ‘loved playing games.’ He never expected that he would have the chance to become a professional player.

“Retiring isn’t as good as leaving quietly,” he said before pointing at an eight-minute video he’s using to thank everyone who supported him during his career.

SwordArt’s career began in 2012, but it was with Flash Wolves that he truly made his mark. His aggressive style as a support helped Flash Wolves secure multiple LMS titles and earn a reputation as Korean slayers when they upset the two-time Worlds Champions SKT T1 during the 2016 IEM Katowice group stage.

But arguably his career’s most iconic moment came during the 2020 World Championship with Suning, where he led a young, untested roster to a grand finals appearance. His Leona performance against Top Esports in the semifinals was a masterclass in how to be a support player, turning critical fights in Suning’s favor and helping take down the tournament favourites.

But not all chapters were triumphant. After almost winning Worlds, SwordArt joined TSM in the LCS. Despite high expectations, the team failed to qualify for Worlds 2021, leading to a short, tumultuous stint. Still, even in a challenging season, his teammates acknowledged his positive impact—despite language barriers meddling with a possible international success.

As one of the last active players from the early international era of League of Legends, SwordArt retirement marks yet another door closing on an important chapter in the game’s competitive history.

Just a few days ago, the League community celebrated Jian ‘Uzi’ Zi-Hao as the second inductee into the Hall of Legends. Both players represent the generation that helped build League of Legends esports into what it is today, despite their career differences.

While the spotlight now might shine on new pros, SwordArt’s contributions to the evolution of the support role and the competitive scene will remain embedded in League’s history.