Resolut1on on Retiring and the Decline of The International’s Prestige

Ukrainian esports player Roman "Resolut1on" Fominok made a candid statement during his Twitch livestream, sharing his thoughts on his future career and the current state of esports. Roman revealed that after a conversation with Team Liquid coach, William "Blitz" Lee, he lost the motivation to return to the professional scene.

A Life-Changing Conversation

Resolut1on admitted that his dream was to play for Team Liquid, but his discussion with Blitz provided a reality check that influenced his decisions going forward:

"I had a conversation with Blitz — a very sobering one. He told me I no longer have a chance of joining Team Liquid. I was upset and stopped striving for it. The only team I ever wanted to play for was Team Liquid, and they turned me down. Their game intelligence [referring to SabeRLighT-] is top-two. Who am I? What am I trying to achieve? I'll just stream every day and keep training."

These remarks confirm that Resolut1on is stepping away from professional play, focusing instead on content creation rather than pursuing a competitive comeback.

The Decline of The International’s Prestige

Beyond his career plans, Resolut1on shared his opinion on the current state of The International. When asked by viewers if he still aspired to win the tournament, he stated that TI’s prestige had greatly diminished due to the reduction of its prize pool.

"TI isn’t the same anymore. Once the prize pool hit $40 million, it truly became TI. TI10 was incredible and extraordinary, but with TI11, the focus on the World Championship began to fade. Now, its prestige relies only on the legacy of what it used to be. The real prestige was always in the money."

According to Resolut1on, the shrinking prize pool has negatively impacted the tournament’s standing. He also expressed doubt over whether a tournament like Riyadh Masters could fill the void, despite its impressive financial backing.

A Future Without TI

Resolut1on made it clear that a return to professional play is not in his plans. However, his candid comments have sparked debate within the Dota 2 community. Opinions on what matters most — money or the spirit of competition — remain divided among players and fans alike.