Chinese Dota 2 Legend Somnus Retires Following The International 2022
After hinting at his decision before the event, Lu “Somnus” Yao has officially retired from competitive Dota 2 after Royal Never Give Up’s elimination from The International 2022.
The announcement was made on Somnus’ Weibo page right after the grueling two-hour elimination match. The Chinese legend simply stated that his time as a competitor has come to an end.
On Weibo, Somnus said, “My childhood is filled with regrets, and I have come to accept a situation that I can’t change because it’s too late. Thank you all for your support. My journey is over. Somnus out.”
With extensive experience in both DotA and Dota 2, Somnus became a household name in the Chinese scene and gained fans worldwide.
He led some of the strongest Chinese rosters for almost a decade, starting with Vici Gaming in 2013 and ending with an RNG squad that fought till the end despite adverse conditions. This included four players, including Somnus himself, contracting COVID and playing in isolation even while feeling extremely unwell.
Related: Royal Never Give Up players face health issues ahead of TI11 playoffs
Somnus, also known as Maybe, is most likely remembered for his time playing with LGD-owned rosters from 2014 to 2020, where he attended five consecutive iterations of The International and only finished outside the top four once.
As Shadow Fiend says, “It’s now or Nevermore.” But it seems like nevermore arrived before he could reach the Aegis.
The crownless king now embarks on a new future, leaving behind a team that gave their all on the battlefield together, at least in spirit, one last time.
He won’t be the only player retiring after TI11. Liquid’s Lasse “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen and another Chinese Dota legend Zhang “Faith_bian” Ruida have also expressed their intentions to retire once the dust settles in Singapore. A changing of the guards is on the horizon, although Maybe might change his mind in the future.
Somnus, Dota 2, retirement, The International 2022, Chinese legend, Vici Gaming, RNG, Shadow Fiend, LGD, TI11, eSports