Paparazi Announces Pro Dota 2 Retirement
| Tags: Dota 2
| Author The News One
Zhang “Paparazi灬” Chengjun has verified rumors of his retirement from the professional Dota 2 scene
According to Xtreme Gaming's midlaner Zhang “Paparazi灬” Chengjun, he is on the verge of retiring from professional gaming. This news has been officially confirmed by ‘CN Dota in a Nutshell,' a highly reliable source for Chinese Dota 2 news, via their Twitter account.
Paparazi灬 said since the rumor is already out in public so he admits that he probably won’t compete in pro scene anymore, and compare to taking a rest it’s more like he’s retiring.
— CN Dota In A Nutshell (@Tr1H4rd3rDota2) July 5, 2023
Responding to the widespread rumors, the former Vici Gaming star has chosen to address the speculation head-on. Admitting that the news has already reached the public, he concedes that he is leaning towards stepping away from the professional scene. Paparazi characterized his decision more as retirement rather than a temporary break.
Credit: Liquipedia
His professional journey in Dota 2 started in 2015. Over the years, he made his mark on prominent teams such as Invictus Gaming, iG.Vitality, Vici Gaming, Elephant, and Xtreme Gaming. Paparazi’s most successful stint was at Vici Gaming, where he won three Tier One competitions; the DreamLeague Season 11,EPICENTER Major 2019, and the ONE Esports Dota 2 World Pro Invitational Singapore. Earlier, he lifted the World Cyber Arena 2016 trophy with Vitality.
Standing tall among Dota 2's elite players, Paparazi is celebrated for his exceptional performances in both the midlane and safelane positions, thanks to his extraordinary mechanical prowess. This was evident in his triumphs in the fiercely competitive 1v1 Solo Mid contests at the Dota 2 Asia Championships, held in 2017 and 2018. Throughout these prestigious tournaments, Paparazi exhibited his raw skills by besting revered midlane talents such as Sumail “SumaiL” Hassan, Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi, and Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng, etching his name in Dota 2 history as a two-time champion.