One of the most iconic captains in the Dota 2 professional scene, Peter “ppd” Dager has hanged the mouse.
“I’ve spent just about the entirety of my twenties competing in video game competitions and at this point in my life (almost 29) I’m looking for something else that I do not think I can find in my current position.
Today I find myself focused on personal growth rather than competition versus others and because of that I feel like I have lost the grit and ambition necessary for myself to be the competitor I’m comfortable being. I don’t feel bad about it as I believe change is healthy and I am eager to do something amazing and new in my 30s.
I will be forever grateful for the people who believed in my abilities and saw the potential that I always believed I had no matter how objectively poor things may have looked in any particular moment.
I want to thank all of the fans and players of Dota 2 whether you liked me or not for the amazing world you created and allowed me to exist in, “ PPD wrote on April 20, 2020 in a TwitLonger post.
Through his nearly a decade of competitive play, PPD managed to lift some of the most wanted tournament trophies there are in Dota 2 and has been a dominant force in Heroes of Newerth prior to making the swap to Dota 2. His most outstanding performance brought the The International 2015 Aegis of Champions to North America, and during his time with Evil Geniuses he’s been the captain to polish the brilliant mid laner Syed “SumaiL” Hassan, who wrote history not only as “the King” but also as the youngest player to have won The International.
photo via Valve
After TI6, PPD took a break from his competitive career and switched to an administrative position with EG, later on becoming the company CEO. He came back to the competitive scene right after TI7, when he made several other changes in his life. He moved to Europe and built the Optic Gaming roster that would reach top 8 at TI8. Following his success with Optic he’s been recruited by Ninjas in Pyjamas to revitalize the organization’s success in the Dota 2 field. Unfortunately, the 2019 TI edition was brutal for him and for the NiP fans as the team got eliminated in the group stage, without getting the chance to play a single game on the big stage. Despite tremendous efforts to build something brilliant at NIP in the next season, the team faced difficulties in finding a working formula, and when they were finally on the right path, the COVID-19 hit the roster hard, preventing them to utilize all their players in the online leagues.
Jonas Gundersen, COO of NiP:
”Peter has been one of the key influencers in shaping the game of DotA 2. Being in a position where you can retire with such a resume, having won a TI is a formidable accomplishment. It is a position only very few gamers in this world get to experience. I am sure Peter will find success in whichever path he chooses next, and I wish him the very best of luck.”
In their official announcement from today, NiP have also hinted at a new roster, which is set to make its debut later this week at WePlay! Pushka League.
”Reinventing ourselves is nothing new to us, having been around for almost 20 years. In DotA, we now have the unique opportunity to approach the game with a fresh perspective, while building a roster that has a longer perspective in sight. We’ve got some interesting young talents already, and will add a Head Coach that can help set the right team and elevate us into the right trajectory for long term success,” stated Jonas Gundersen.
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