Ninja Takes a Break from Halo esports to Pursue Other Opportunities
Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, one of the most well-known players in the world of Halo esports, has announced that he will be stepping away from competitive play to explore other opportunities.
In a YouTube video released on Aug. 13, Ninja explained that he will not be participating in the upcoming fall season of the Halo Championship Series (HCS) Pro League. His decision is based on his recent marriage, his focus on streaming, and his dedication to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
Ninja expressed his frustration with the game he has been competing in for nearly a decade. He was particularly upset that the HCS Fall Finals at DreamHack Denver are scheduled for the same weekend as TwitchCon.
“I think it’s the stupidest thing in the world,” he stated. “TwitchCon has H1Z1 tournaments and other big events. It’s a massive gathering and I can’t miss that.”
Ninja also pointed out problems with Halo’s competitive play, including issues with heavy aim, blank melees, radar, and automatic rifles. He questioned why certain game modes, like Oddball, were not initially included in the HCS and have not been fixed yet.
“I don’t know what they’re doing, I don’t know who’s running the show, but at this point, I think they just don’t care,” Ninja expressed. “They don’t care, they don’t give a shit, or there’s just some corrupt people at the top who don’t care! So whatever. I’m done. I’m happy to be taking a break.”
Ninja’s decision to step away from Halo esports will require his former teammates on Luminosity Gaming to find a replacement before the HCS Pro League’s final season of the year begins. The roster lock is on Aug. 20, leaving them with just under a week to make the necessary changes.
Following his honeymoon, Ninja will be competing in the gamescom PUBG Invitational in Cologne, Germany from Aug. 23 to 26. After the tournament, he plans to return to full-time streaming on Twitch.
Ninja, esports, Halo, competitive play, HCS Pro League, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, TwitchCon, game modes, Luminosity Gaming, gamescom PUBG Invitational, streaming, Twitch