▲ John Paul "King Caffeine" Lopez, 2015 BlizzCon World Champion.

The retirement announcement from long-time professional Heroes of the Storm player John Paul “King Caffeine” Lopez marked the eighth individual to step away from the scene over the last six months.



Jerome “JayPL” Trinh, Harrison “psalm” Chang, Taylor “Arthelon” Eder, Shawn “Jin” Boyle, Christopher “Zuna” Buechter, Alexander "AlexTheProG" Grumstrup and Dob “Quackniix” Engström, all for different reasons, felt that playing HotS at the highest level was no longer in their best interest.

While it’s unknown if they will eventually come back or if others will follow suit in departure during the upcoming months post-BlizzCon-- as the Heroes Global Championship (HGC) season comes to an end after the tournament-- in the world of esports, individuals leaving a competitive scene isn’t always as necessarily bad as it sounds.

It’s a natural reaction for fans of players or the pro circuit to be concerned when news of an original member of the first Heroes of the Storm World Championship team, King Caffeine, declares that playing at the highest level feels like a “part-time job” to him. However, change is not only healthy in terms of keeping the HGC fresh but very common in an industry where some turnover is necessary.

Peak Competition

The loss of Quackniix, JayPL and psalm, some of the most talented and decorated professional players in the world, is difficult to measure. The scene is better off having them in it than out of it.

Can the same be said for the rest of the retirees?

Jin was a newcomer trying to make a name for himself on a team littered with disorganization; Arthelon’s dedication to Heroes as been come-and-go over the years; King Caffeine's performance and competitive mindset over the last few years has fallen off, per his statement and Zuna’s success has dwindled in recent year as well.

What is really being lost aside from veterans who no longer love the game they are playing?

For every one Zuna, a pro player in their twilight years who may be more interested in picking up a paycheck than competing at a high level, there are dozens upon dozens of Open Division and Hero League-grinders who want nothing more than to make it in the HGC.

For every Jin who leaves the scene, the next psalm, Snitch or Rich could get their opportunity to thrive in HGC and make a legacy for themselves that will change the course of the competitive Heroes scene forever.

Simply put, losing professional players who no longer dedicate their lives and abilities to a game in place of individuals who want nothing more than to grow, dominate and make a name for themselves is not a net loss but a net gain.

▲ For every JayPL leaving (right), a Snitch (left) is chomping at the bit to enter HGC.

As for psalm, Quackniix and JayPL, each had their own motivation for stepping away from the scene that many high-level players and individuals can relate to.

Psalm wanted to make a name for himself and set himself up in a competitive title that is shattering the esports industry in terms of financial opportunity, Fortnite.

JayPL has been playing Heroes of the Storm for longer than most people have known about its existence. Some people grow tired of playing the same game year-after-year, regardless of the title, and no one can blame them.

Quackniix, has been in the competitive scene since 2015 and has built enough value and brand-strength around himself to where seeing if it can extend into streaming on Twitch can be worth his while.

None of what has transpired over the last six months is an indication of a competitive scene that is dying, struggling or is worth being concerned over. Without veterans such as King Caffeine, Zuna and Arthelon stepping aside for a game they no longer love enough to dedicate their lives to, the next Snitch may have not gotten an opportunity to enter HGC.