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The three time EPS Germany winner, Giacomo ' Socke' Thüs has parted ways with  Team ALTERNATE after representing them for 3 years and 7 months in StarCraft II.
On one hand, Socke is one of the very best and most prolific players in Germany, as well as considered for a long time as being one of the best foreign Protoss players. Whilst he retains his status in Germany, in recent months, his form in international tournaments has been dwindling, having been knocked out of WCS Europe in 2013, and failed to qualify in the four qualifiers of 2014 (despite knocking out TAiLS in the last qualifier).
On the other end of the spectrum, Team ALTERNATE (also historically known as Alternate aTTaX) is a German organisation with a very rich history in eSports. They started out very early in SC2, and for a long time, were represented by well known players such as  ClouD,  DarKFoRcE and Delphi, until all players eventually retired or left, with the exception of Socke. Recently, they were apparently looking to add more SC2 players, but their plans are not as clear now that they have let go of their ace player. Team ALTERNATE also suffered a big blow in the last few days, as their League of Legends team, which competes in the prestigious and profitable LCS Europe, left the organisation to join the French organisation Millenium.
Team Alternate now has no presence in the SC2 scene, and it is not yet known whether they have plans to support any other players.
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iNcontroL
USA29055 Posts
Ah.. hope he finds a new team asaply. Love that guy and when he is focused he is a damn fine protoss!
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Hope he finds a new team.
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Too bad, though I guess any top team would be happy to have a Socke  Especially when he is in the zone.
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Wow. I am kind of stunned right now. Didn`t see that one coming.
Socke is such a great guy. Hope he finds a new team soon.
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EG Socke !
What ever team picks him up. Please give him a good headset + Soundcard so that we can understand him. Always had hard times listen to him because of his bad setup. And yes I met him in RL on GC and its doable.
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mouzSocke would just be epic, both oldschool German Protoss united in one team, but I don't think mouz will recruit non-Korean players in the near future 
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go go Socke. don't give up on us!
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My first encounter with SC2 was with Socke in IEM V, I still recall the Sjow vs. Socke vs. Squirtle tiebreaker. Best of luck to Mr. Thüs
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hmm i imagine he has something in the works that made this a sensible move
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Lets hope that Alternate still operates as an esports organisation.
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mouz.Socke, make it happen
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Sure they have a CS:GO male and femal team.
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On January 15 2014 19:05 robih wrote:
mouz.Socke, make it happen
MaNa is probably in a better shape than Socke atm, and they let him go so I don't see it happening
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Nooooooo
I thought Alternate was picking up players.
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On January 15 2014 19:10 mikkmagro wrote:MaNa is probably in a better shape than Socke atm, and they let him go so I don't see it happening
that's probably just salary related
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Liquid Socke!
He seems to be a nice guy, hopefully he´s not retiring
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Alternate will close the sc2 section?! :-/
I hope he will continue playing.
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United Kingdom50293 Posts
Atn drops their one SC2 player and league team? So they're down to just a counter-strike team, how interesting
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Of all the moves and retirements that have happened lately this is the most shocking to me :o
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obligatory Grubby.Socke post.
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Ahh any team should be lucky to get a hold of Socke, great player, great personality, looking forward to him beeing on a team that focuses more on sc2.
Best of luck
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man socke is a legend i really hope he finds a team
cant believe i say this about a protoss player
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Socke is such an awesome player. Hope he doesn´t quit, it would be a big loss to the scene...
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On January 15 2014 19:32 Big-t wrote:Socke is such an awesome player. Hope he doesn´t quit, it would be a big loss to the scene...
Word! I hope also he will stay!
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Crap. Plz dont leave SC2, Socke! :/
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Someone quick, steal this guy for your team!
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Keep going, Sven Eberhardt!
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Socke will join KT Rolster and bring some fresh flavour to the proleague.
Would be hilarious.
Anyway... XMGSocke seems doable.
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I hope Socke finds a new team!
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Now Alternate has no members left?
Doesn't bode well if such a long existing and respected clan closes their sc2 division.
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Ah dang...Hope he finds a good new team. Please don*t retire right away!
PS: Liquid.Socke :-D
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GL to Socke. I hope he finds a new team, practices like a madman, and qualifies for the next WCS.
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I hope Socke finds a new team!
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On January 15 2014 20:10 StarVe wrote:
Keep going, Sven Eberhardt!
Hahaha :D
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WCS is a BIG part of this competition year, however with the changes in WCS 2014 there should be more tournaments for a player who didn't qualify. DH & IntelEx & AsusRog & HomeStory just to name a few.
Alternate should have kept Socke and focused on those non-WCS events. IMHO
I hope Socke finds a new team. A scene without Socke would make me sad.
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I really hope he doesn't retire. Have a bad feeling on this...
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well i guess its not so much about socke but more about alternate leaving sc2. Which was predictable for a long long time now.
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XMG or mouz seem likely. would not be shocked by EG or Liquid either though.
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if this doesnt feel like a chapter closing in sc2 i dont know what does.
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On January 15 2014 20:41 Schelim wrote:
XMG or mouz seem likely. would not be shocked by EG or Liquid either though.
You wouldn't? Man, I would raise my eyebrows higher than Innovation or Dear could manage to last year.
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One of my very first favourite players. Good luck Socke!
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I hope my team tag won't be a new zenex ;_;
GL Socke, no matter what you do. Hope you will move to a new team though.
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a big bang - in a negative manner - for german e sport :/
hopefully socke will nor retire after this decission.. german e sport is protoss (land) and need identification like him.
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still remember the 2on2 team Tamm|Socke and Tamm|Plague. I hope Socke is fighting on
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On January 15 2014 19:32 Big-t wrote:Socke is such an awesome player. Hope he doesn´t quit, it would be a big loss to the scene...
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On January 15 2014 18:51 iNcontroL wrote:
Ah.. hope he finds a new team asaply. Love that guy and when he is focused he is a damn fine protoss!
This!!
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wow it's bad time for Alternate, i hope they can bounce back soon they are one of the best and most reliable european organization.
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On January 15 2014 20:41 Schelim wrote:
XMG or mouz seem likely. would not be shocked by EG or Liquid either though.
I dont see EG picking him up, they seem only to be interested in players that market themselves well, young talent or big name koreans =) I do however hope this is not a retirement, Socke is probably the best protoss in germany ( sorry Hasu ;b )
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Sad sad but i hope this will work out good for him
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On January 15 2014 19:10 mikkmagro wrote:MaNa is probably in a better shape than Socke atm, and they let him go so I don't see it happening
still mouz is a german team and socke is one of the best germans ...
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Hope mouz picks him up, german EPS is pretty big and it's mouz natural market so if EPS keeps running starcraft i think picking Socke is an obvious pick for them
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Startale_Socke!
Don't retire pls.
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Alien Invasion wouldnt be the worst alternative either.
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So team aTn basically drops SC2 huh?
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On January 15 2014 21:17 OgerGolg wrote:
still remember the 2on2 team Tamm|Socke and Tamm|Plague. I hope Socke is fighting on
That had to come from an Oger xD
Anyway, I hope Socke stays in the scene. Only German player that I actually enjoy watching. (TLO is no longer German)
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On January 15 2014 21:57 nimbim wrote:Show nested quote +On January 15 2014 21:17 OgerGolg wrote:
still remember the 2on2 team Tamm|Socke and Tamm|Plague. I hope Socke is fighting on That had to come from an Oger xD Anyway, I hope Socke stays in the scene. Only German player that I actually enjoy watching. (TLO is no longer German)
TLO is no longer german? O.o
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On January 15 2014 20:19 zosch wrote:
practices like a madman
rofl.
but seriously: gl socke, don´t quit!
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Not really shocking for me, Alternate was bound to leave sc2 sooner or later. I just hope that Socke got all the money he was owed and will find a good team.
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Yes, I was wondering, too, how long Alternate would keep a Team with only Socke as a player. Still waiting for that XMG announcements, very possible that Socke is one of their additions in my opinion.
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I think this is a bigger loss to ALTERNATE than to Socke. They will struggle to find someone to represent them better in the SC2 scene (and a noteworthy LoL/Dota 2 team will cost them considerably more).
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On January 15 2014 23:14 mikkmagro wrote:
I think this is a bigger loss to ALTERNATE than to Socke. They will struggle to find someone to represent them better in the SC2 scene (and a noteworthy LoL/Dota 2 team will cost them considerably more).
They had a noteworthy LoL team, but dropped it too (was picked up by Millenium).
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On January 15 2014 23:25 Serinox wrote:Show nested quote +On January 15 2014 23:14 mikkmagro wrote:
I think this is a bigger loss to ALTERNATE than to Socke. They will struggle to find someone to represent them better in the SC2 scene (and a noteworthy LoL/Dota 2 team will cost them considerably more). They had a noteworthy LoL team, but dropped it too (was picked up by Millenium).
I know, it's included in the OP, which I wrote :p
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On January 15 2014 23:29 mikkmagro wrote:Show nested quote +On January 15 2014 23:25 Serinox wrote:On January 15 2014 23:14 mikkmagro wrote:
I think this is a bigger loss to ALTERNATE than to Socke. They will struggle to find someone to represent them better in the SC2 scene (and a noteworthy LoL/Dota 2 team will cost them considerably more). They had a noteworthy LoL team, but dropped it too (was picked up by Millenium). I know, it's included in the OP, which I wrote :p
I know, I just mean they are going to leave eSports soon.
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On January 15 2014 18:51 iNcontroL wrote:
Ah.. hope he finds a new team asaply. Love that guy and when he is focused he is a damn fine protoss!
Pull some strings, please.
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So do we (the Germans) have any real pros left? I mean real pros, not the ones whose sponsorship is limited to a mousepad every two months or so.
Hasuobs retired, right?
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On January 15 2014 23:43 SixStrings wrote:
So do we (the Germans) have any real pros left? I mean real pros, not the ones whose sponsorship is limited to a mousepad every two months or so.
Hasuobs retired, right?
HasuObs just played ToD in the eSportsventure Cup and qualified for WCS. So no, he is not retired.
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On January 15 2014 23:43 SixStrings wrote:
So do we (the Germans) have any real pros left? I mean real pros, not the ones whose sponsorship is limited to a mousepad every two months or so.
Hasuobs retired, right?
Quite some nonsense you write.
HasuObs is active.
TLO
Heromarine
plus a lot of people in smaller teams, that get more than a mousepad.
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On January 15 2014 23:45 grs wrote:Show nested quote +On January 15 2014 23:43 SixStrings wrote:
So do we (the Germans) have any real pros left? I mean real pros, not the ones whose sponsorship is limited to a mousepad every two months or so.
Hasuobs retired, right? Quite some nonsense you write. HasuObs is active. TLO Heromarine plus a lot of people in smaller teams, that get more than a mousepad.
Is SixStrings talking about just in SC2, or in all eSports?
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Good to read that Hasu qualified for WCS, forgot all about TLO being German.
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This is sad to see I always enjoyed Socke's play and he was on Alternate for a long time Hope he finds a new team soon so he can continue to have a strong support system!
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- first comment by incontrol
CONFIRMED FOR GOING TO EG
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On January 15 2014 23:43 SixStrings wrote:
So do we (the Germans) have any real pros left? I mean real pros, not the ones whose sponsorship is limited to a mousepad every two months or so.
Hasuobs retired, right?
I´m not sure, where you got that information, but it is pretty wrong. HasuObs finished 2013 by achieving the 3rd place ín the Fragbite masters, beating 3 koreans on the way and started 2014 by qualifying for WCS in the first qualifier. He is pretty far away from retiring.
Socke has not retired either, he just left aTn. Showtime is in WCS and has eliminated Mvp from it last season. Heromarine, TLO, Krass, Lambo have all qualified for WCS as well and then there are still players like GoOdy/Tarra/Hanfy/Gungfubanda, who get pretty decent results online and making money there (for example in EPS) and from their established teams (Ai, ESC).
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Socke ? the pro player with below 80 apm ?
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On January 16 2014 03:22 lopido wrote:
Socke ? the pro player with below 80 apm ?
Socke played with 200+ more like 250
you re messing something up
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On January 16 2014 03:22 lopido wrote:
Socke ? the pro player with below 80 apm ?
So apperently Hasu retired and Socke has 80 apm. What surprising revelations will come next? Brat_OK being french-canadian? Idra announcing his wish to become a professional MMA-fighter?
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He's confusing Socke for SjoW, that's all.
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On January 16 2014 03:45 Xoronius wrote:Show nested quote +On January 16 2014 03:22 lopido wrote:
Socke ? the pro player with below 80 apm ? So apperently Hasu retired and Socke has 80 apm. What surprising revelations will come next? Brat_OK being french-canadian? Idra announcing his wish to become a professional MMA-fighter?
would not be surprised if Idra wants to fight MMA after that classic game back then
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Socke is one of my favorite protosses and sc2 people. He will find a team I'm sure. Good luck.
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On January 16 2014 03:22 lopido wrote:
Socke ? the pro player with below 80 apm ?
I think you're talking about Goody. Anyway gl Socke :/ Hope you find a new team soon!
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Damn, please don't retire Socke!
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Socke will find a team... if he wants. He has the focus to compete with anyone. I just hope, like the rest of you, that he doesn't choose to retire.
Also, KeSPA Socke?
Proleague!
One can hope...
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Socke is good terms with Hasu.
mouzSocke, make it happen!
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Take just confirmed on stream: Socke has a new team already
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Take just announced that Socke already has a new team.
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Take said just on stream that Socke already has a new "home"!
Gratz socke. Looking forward to the announcement.
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TaKe just said on his stream that he knows that Socke already found a new team, but he ofc can't tell us which team it is yet. He said it's time to speculate about that now 
Grr...
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xmg.socke, you heard it here first (this is just an assumption!)
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On January 16 2014 06:17 RayBeans wrote:
xmg.socke, you heard it here first (this is just an assumption!)
Thats my bet aswell.
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ESC? Ai? LYGF? Mill? XMG? TeamPK? mouz?
I guess he wants to go to a team with a teamhouse. No clue
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well, german teams just dont hadle sc2 correctly I think. They pick up very few players just because theyre single prestige, but dont have a complete Lineup like international teams. That way its more a sponsorship than a team, being unable to compete in teamleagues.
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On January 15 2014 20:17 zerotol wrote:
Now Alternate has no members left?
Doesn't bode well if such a long existing and respected clan closes their sc2 division.
They just lost their LoL division recently too - it wouldn't surprise me if this is the beginning of the end for Alternate.
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On January 16 2014 07:58 realityyy wrote:
well, german teams just dont hadle sc2 correctly I think. They pick up very few players just because theyre single prestige, but dont have a complete Lineup like international teams. That way its more a sponsorship than a team, being unable to compete in teamleagues.
like Ai, ESC or mouz?
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On January 16 2014 06:17 Serinox wrote:TaKe just said on his stream that he knows that Socke already found a new team, but he ofc can't tell us which team it is yet. He said it's time to speculate about that now Grr...
Than my bet is on XMG as well.
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He is not retiring and already has something "in the works"
https://www.facebook.com/Sockeh/posts/685392381491798?stream_ref=10
Hey guys&girls, small update here from me regarding my current situation since some people were wondering if I'm retiring or sth. Even though I am indeed getting a bit old (D , there is no need to worry about me giving up SC yet. I already have something in the works, and I'm really looking forward to the upcoming competition. 2013 didn't go too well overall after a pretty ood start in january, but this year is gonna be better again! Big thanks to everybody whos been supporting me throughout the years. So long, Giacomo 'Socke' Thüs
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So... Is SC dying?? Why so many people retiring and teams disbanding???
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Maybe he didn't have the best results in individual tournaments 2013 but I remember how he did tear up ATC and even after they disbanded he managed to help them beat up TL.
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On January 17 2014 02:00 aeligos wrote:
So... Is SC dying?? Why so many people retiring and teams disbanding???
I very much doubt Socke leaving Alternate has anything to do with the state of Starcraft. Alternate also lost their LCS team to Millenium, and Socke has already found a new team/sponsor, so it reflects more on Alternate, than it reflects on SC2.
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On January 15 2014 19:21 mikkmagro wrote:
obligatory Grubby.Socke post.
This would probably crash the internet due to awesomeness overload
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EPT
