The Legendary Esports Star Grubby Finds a New Passion in Dota 2
Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen is an esports legend, known for his incredible achievements in Warcraft III. With 38 LAN wins, including six world championships, Grubby is hailed as the most successful Warcraft III player of all time. Although he retired over a decade ago, he remains a prominent figure in the gaming community as a full-time Twitch streamer.
Recently, Grubby has developed a liking for Dota 2, a game that evolved from the popular Dota Allstars mod in Warcraft III. In 2022 alone, he has streamed Dota 2 for almost 700 hours, immersing himself in the gameplay and connecting with his audience.
Reflecting on his past, Grubby admitted to regretting not playing Dota 2 when he was younger. He expresses how much fun he is having now and believes he missed out on an incredible experience. “I feel like I wasted ten years of fun!” he exclaimed.
However, Grubby explains that his journey unfolded the way it did for specific reasons.
One reason was his loyalty to Blizzard, as he always considered himself a Blizzard loyalist. Grubby was initially bitter about Valve acquiring the Dota franchise, feeling that it was taken away from Blizzard. “I was thinking, like, ‘Hey, this game company took Dota away from Blizzard,'” he shared. However, he now understands that Blizzard willingly sold the rights and acknowledges Valve’s excellent work in making Dota 2 a great game.
The second reason Grubby didn’t explore Dota 2 earlier was that it didn’t fall within his gaming preferences. He primarily focused on one-on-one competitive games, not MOBAs (Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas). Despite the allure of enormous prize pools and popularity, Grubby chose not to pursue Dota 2 if he didn’t believe in it fundamentally.
Like many people, Grubby’s interests and opinions have evolved over the years. He now feels that it is “the right time” for him to immerse himself in the world of Dota 2. Since diving into the game, he has thoroughly enjoyed his experience, and the Dota 2 community has embraced him warmly.