Kim “KuKi” Dae-kuk announced his retirement from the Overwatch League and his former team, the Los Angeles Valiant. Kuki is a South Korean player who first started playing competitively under MVP Space and then joined Seoul Dynasty in 2017. His third and final team was the Los Angeles Valiant, where he was transferred in late 2018. Unfortunately, Kuki only played a few games for the team this season, and the team did not achieve stellar results either.
Today we are announcing the retirement of Dae-kuk “Kuki” Kim from competitive Overwatch play.
Kuki was an invaluable member of our roster and we wish him all the best in his future. pic.twitter.com/2CiZbmzkaT
— Los Angeles Valiant (@LAValiant) July 6, 2019
Kuki retires from Overwatch League
While on Seoul Dynasty during the Overwatch League’s Inaugural Preseason, the team took first with three wins. They were tied with the Los Angeles Valiant and Dallas Fuel. However, the team placed third in the Pacific Division and eighth in the total league standings. Kuki joined the LA Valiant in a substitute main tank position, but the team did not perform well during the first season. Subsequently, he was moved back to a substitute role following the end of the season.
“Since joining the Valiant, Kuki has displayed the utmost professionalism,” said Michael Schwartz, the General Manager for the Los Angeles Valiant. “The beginning of this season was not easy for him and we are so grateful for the leadership he displayed by continuing to give everything he had to the team.”
The Los Angeles Valiant has a different team composition than many other Overwatch League teams. The roster currently only includes one Korean player, Minchul “Izayaki” Kim. This is in contrast with teams like the Florida Mayhem that have a full Korean player roster. Kuki’s retirement may be due to two reasons. The first would be the North American esports organization’s shift to a different roster composition. The second would then be his bland results, something that is attributed to many esports professional players that retire.
Players that don’t see much success usually look into retiring from professional gaming. This is so they have an earlier start trying to pursue another career. Have you been following the Los Angeles Valiant’s journey in the Overwatch League?
Keep up with all of the latest Overwatch news and content here at Daily Esports.
