LoL: SwordArt announces his retirement from pro play

LMS legend Hu "SwordArt" Shuo-Chieh has announced his retirement from professional play at 28. He shared a message on his social media, expressing gratitude for being able to pursue such a long and fulfilling career, and stating that he preferred to make the announcement officially rather than fade away quietly. The support player had joined MGN Vikings in December 2024 but hadn't played a single game with the team since the start of the year. He was officially released by the organization in a post last April.

He also wrote a message: "When I first set foot on this road, I was just a junior high school student who liked playing games and challenges. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to be a player, let alone that so many people would accompany me and support me. For me, it is better to say goodbye than to leave quietly. So today, I use this video to thank you very much-and thank you for your hard work in the past. Next, I will continue to walk in different ways, and hope that we can continue to meet in the future."

SwordArt began his career in 2012 with the team ahq Amateur in Taiwan. He participated in his first Worlds in 2013, after joining the Gamania Bears alongside a certain Huang "Maple" Yi-Tang, with whom he would play for six years. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals by SK Telecom T1, already led by Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok.

However, it was with the LMS (League of Legends Master Series) powerhouse Flash Wolves that SwordArt became a household name. Still alongside Maple, he first helped the team qualify for the LMS between 2013 and 2016. Then, they would dominate the league and earn six domestic titles between 2016 and 2018. He also made a strong impression on the international stage during that time, particularly at the three MSI tournaments where he lost in the semi-finals (2016, 2017, 2018), and the four World Championships he played. Under their banner, he never made it further than the quarterfinals, which he reached in 2015.

During this period, SwordArt was already one of the most respected supports in the world. He then made the move to leave the Taiwanese league in search of a new challenge in the LPL. He joined Suning and had a rather rough year overall in the league. But the Summer Split went quite well, and after finishing 3rd in Playoffs, he won the regional finals, earning a ticket to Worlds 2020. This attempt at winning the Summoner's Cup was the most beautiful of his entire career: Suning reached the finals in a way nobody expected, carried by a playstyle that was vastly different from other teams in the tournament.

They were the true underdogs, embodied by Chen "Bin" Ze-Bin's breakout performance in the toplane and Lê "SofM" Quang Duy’s phenomenal jungle presence. They eventually lost to DAMWON Gaming in the grand final, but they came the closest to completing the greatest miracle run of all time—one that DRX would pull off even more dramatically two years later.

In 2020, SwordArt made headlines by moving to North America to join Team SoloMid in the LCS, signing one of the most lucrative contracts in the region’s history. His tenure with TSM was met with mixed results, and the team failed to qualify for Worlds. He later returned to the LPL to play for Weibo Gaming in 2022, finishing 6th twice. In 2023, he remained in the LPL but switched organizations each split, eventually returning to the PCS and his home region in 2024. He joined CTBC Flying Oysters and placed 3rd in both splits, playing alongside the team’s current toplaners Hsu "Rest" Shih-Chieh and Shen "Driver" Tsung-Hua.

Throughout his career, SwordArt has been recognized not only for his mechanical skill but also for his tactical acumen and role as a team leader. "I hope I left some marks in fans’ hearts," he stated in his farewell video. He will be leaving a lasting legacy in both Eastern and Western League of Legends scenes, but will for sure reach the status of a legend in Taiwan, his home country.