“Farewell TLO” — after 10 years together, these are words that I never thought I would ever have to say. While this occasion is tinged with some sadness, I could not be more proud of the reason that I have to make this announcement today. You are moving on to a new career and an opportunity to become a greater positive force within esports with our friends over at Shopify.
The players who were a part of those early StarCraft II years are a fundamental part of building the Team Liquid that everyone knows today. You joined the team over a decade ago when we had no sponsors or revenues, and it was all just a dream. Still, you had faith that we were going to figure it out together. Ten years later I am confident in saying that we did.
While I am sad to see you go, I know that this is an incredible opportunity and I am so happy to see you succeed and follow the path that you created for yourself. Finding a new home at Shopify is not the end of anything — it’s just the next step in your journey. The qualities that made you such an amazing teammate and manager will undoubtedly serve you well, and I look forward to working together again in the future.
I will never forget what you have meant for Liquid — and what you still mean to us to this today. You will always be Liquid`TLO, and for that I am forever grateful. Thank you.
On September 15 2020 01:58 BluemoonSC wrote: It feels like the end of an era. I came to the TL.net forums to learn more about Starcraft, and found out about TLO through that search.
Who’s cutting onions in here??
After TotalBiscuit and Incontrol I'm actually very glad that we're not losing TLO. Still, it's insane to imagine another pillar of the game going away. TLO has been a fixture in the scene for such a long time - it's going to be hard to find someone to fill those shoes.
It's hard to put into words what you meant to Team Liquid! You were the best teammate and a great competitor and friend <3! You will kick ass at your new role
Best of luck with the new work! You were always one of the best guys in the scene. Looking forward to the new Shopify SC2 Pro Tour that you'll be managing
Amazing, thank you for everything TLO!! I'm looking forward to all the things you do at Shopify. I know Tobias is a huge fan of StarCraft so the two of you will do great things
Wow - a sad loss for the team but a silver lining of having TLO's impact on esports at Shopify. Hopefully he finds his way back to SC2 events as a caster or host or interviewer in some capacity but glad to see he is going on to greener pastures.
TL and TLO are one with each other since the very beginning. It's hard to think of another person that feels more synonymous with the brand. We love you TLO, good luck!
TLO, you've been an ever present fixture of the scene ever since I started watching. It's bittersweet, but no one can deny the impact you've had on the scene.
Oh my, TLO was gateway into SC2 and Team Liquid as far back as 2010, and has been my favorite player since then (well Clem may have overshadowed this past year or so, but because of TLO Clem is also on Team Liquid)!
What a role model and what a fantastic leader— the sc2 scene was truly blessed.
Not sure how much more of you we will see in SC2, but I wish you the best in whatever you set your mind and heart on.
Thank you for all and hope to at the very least see homestory cup cameos!
One of my earliest TLO memories is when he was playing Terran and hid the target dot of a nuke in a statue to blow up the army of an opponent. I was a fan ever since.
Can someone repost that baller video in which he shows off that white Team Liquid jacket?
Whoa that was an amazing retirement video, it was so nice to see Sheth again. Liquids history is so full of nice guys, TLO, Ret and Sheth just take the cake though.
I really wish you all the best, its been a pleasure watching your games for so many years. Keep enjoying life and helping everyone around you do the same seems to be part of who you are.
One of my all time favourites right from the start. I was always hoping that he would take the last big step to compete at the absolute top, since he of all people would have definitely deserved it. Always kind, Creative, and a prime ambassador to SC2 and esports altogether. Same time very sad and happy for him. Somehow I was expecting this happen sooner or later and great to see him move forward to a surely nice workplace to continue his adventures.
Ah I can't believe it. Just couple hours ago I was checking on you what you are up to and there you are - a sad article of you leaving TL, yet at the same time it's a joy you can expand your livelihood and care of your family.
10 years ago.. you made me so proud when you with TBO beat me and my best friend in 2v2 on Arid Wastes. Days when you played Terran.
On September 15 2020 04:45 CrymeaTerran wrote: low skill player finally realized that he not good nuff for sc since 9 yrs, really how could liquid make money with him or did they lose the money? Would be interesting to see some data
Sometimes respect, dignity and loyalty is more important than digits. Not for everyone to understand it, but intangibles sometimes are more important (and can be more profitable) than just counting numbers.
Is Liquid'TLO literally the longest continual tenure of an active player with a team in esports history? Flash was only on KT Rolster for like seven years.
You were one of my favorite players for years so it's sad to see you move on from the Liquid Pro team, although I'm equally excited to see you realize your potential in such a great company. As a recent CS grad, Shopify is one of those dream companies we all would love to be at
On September 15 2020 05:24 GSTL wrote: Ah I can't believe it. Just couple hours ago I was checking on you what you are up to and there you are - a sad article of you leaving TL, yet at the same time it's a joy you can expand your livelihood and care of your family.
10 years ago.. you made me so proud when you with TBO beat me and my best friend in 2v2 on Arid Wastes. Days when you played Terran.
All the best !
I apologize for whatever cheese I played back then (as I cheesed 100% of my SC2 games I can be certain that I did cheese you)
Thanks for all the memories and all the best in your future!
Ich habe gestern noch dein Match gesehn und war traurig was passierte, andererseits fragte ich mich aber auch was du noch in der professionellen Szene machst. Ich denke der Schritt in eine neue Aufgabe und Zukunft war genau das Richtige. Hoffentlich sieht man sich noch mal! cheers
TLO, I have a collector's edition of WoL that you signed for me at MLG Columbus 2011, and I'd been following you since the beta, and have been ever since. You gave me so many good memories.
I don't think there's a more beloved person in the scene and it's been a pleasure watching TLO over the past 10 years. Much love and best wishes to TLO in his future endeavors. It was really heartwarming seeing the old and new blood of Team Liquid bid their farewells to the legend. Hopefully TLO will still be involved in Starcraft for years to come.
It's been an extraordinarily emotional day for me today. I've seen the goodbye video a few before today already and it made tears flow every single time. I'm so grateful to have spent such a long time with so many incredible team mates. I could feel all the love today and that means the world to me! Seeing all the support and happy wishes from the community was amazing as well. Thank you so much StarCraft community, thank you so much TeamLiquid.net! <3
TLO has been one of the nicest, wisest, and most positive influences in the SC2 scene for almost a decade. Gonna be weird seeing him apart from Liquid, but I really wish him well in all of his future pursuits. <3
For me to become a Liquid fan had everything to do with team having great players and all-around awesome people like TLO, sad to see him go but happy to see him moving forward with his career opportunities. Shopify is an awesome company. Best of luck TLO!
TheLittleOne was my very first favorite Starcraft pro, 10 years ago playing as Random and doing crazy things like 1 base Battlecruiser rushes on Metalopolis.
10 years later he's making the grown up move to a bigger career opportunity after going so far as to represent Starcraft 2 and esports in general in front of the fucking World Olympics committee. It's crazy just how far Dario has become.
On September 15 2020 06:12 InvictusRage wrote: Is Liquid'TLO literally the longest continual tenure of an active player with a team in esports history? Flash was only on KT Rolster for like seven years.
Heromarine joined mousesports in 2011. So he will probably exceed TLO in that regard, considering he won't retire anytime soon with his continuing success.
Holly Sh..... Man that video was full of Nostalgia, so many good memories. Seeing all the old guys, listen to them what they have to say about the great TLO made me cry.
Im happy for TLO and also that he is not leaving the scene.
So cool that everybody from the team posted a message, what a great team!
I've been following TLO especially in the Beta/WoL era and it really taught me a lesson, that pro gamers are not just competitive robots, but actual humans with ups and downs, health and real life issues. But above all that, TLO showed that it's possible to make a stable career, not just by winning tournaments, but by being passionate and reliable.
While I am sad to see you go, I know that this is an incredible opportunity and I am so happy to see you succeed and follow the path that you created for yourself.
I don't get this. Anybody care to explain in more details for idiots like me?
Anyway, whatever this means, best of luck to you, TLO! Your creativity and positivity will be missed.
While I am sad to see you go, I know that this is an incredible opportunity and I am so happy to see you succeed and follow the path that you created for yourself.
I don't get this. Anybody care to explain in more details for idiots like me?
Anyway, whatever this means, best of luck to you, TLO! Your creativity and positivity will be missed.
you probably should watch the video as TLO explains where his path will lead. but in short, shopify wants to engage more in e-sport than just sponsoring events. and while not naming details TLO is supposed to help them.
While I am sad to see you go, I know that this is an incredible opportunity and I am so happy to see you succeed and follow the path that you created for yourself.
I don't get this. Anybody care to explain in more details for idiots like me?
Anyway, whatever this means, best of luck to you, TLO! Your creativity and positivity will be missed.
you probably should watch the video as TLO explains where his path will lead. but in short, shopify wants to engage more in e-sport than just sponsoring events. and while not naming details TLO is supposed to help them.
Ah, coolio, was at work and didn't have them headsets so wasn't able to watch it. Unless it has subtitles Thanks!
I had a great time watching you for the first years of sc2. I don't have as much time anymore, but was still always happy to see you play or commentate when I watched homestorycup
Thank you for the great times and all the best to you!
Best of luck in the future TLO. Hope to hear more about your life in the future. Stay up with the scene and do the odd Pylon Show or something still hopefully.
Good luck TLO! That video was so bittersweet. Loved seeing the old crowd, like Jinro, NonY, ret, HuK, HayPro, etc. I think the fact that so many of these folks shared their stories in this video just shows the love that everyone has for TLO. Even long after they've departed TL for other journeys, they still come back to wish him good bye and good luck.
On September 17 2020 15:37 sonny42 wrote: meh, he was like a ghost of himself for the majority of the last 5 years
Thats because he s been a manager and Coach for Team Liquid for quite some time now and wasn t focused on beeing a player 110%. But yeah, he wasn t on the very top for quite some time, so his transition makes a lot of sense. I m currious to see, what he will do as esports manager at Shopify. I m absolutly expecting them to branch out in SC2, but also probably other esports by either funding tournaments or even setting up a team themselves. Even though the first one is probably more likely
On September 17 2020 15:37 sonny42 wrote: meh, he was like a ghost of himself for the majority of the last 5 years
Thats because he s been a manager and Coach for Team Liquid for quite some time now and wasn t focused on beeing a player 110%. But yeah, he wasn t on the very top for quite some time, so his transition makes a lot of sense. I m currious to see, what he will do as esports manager at Shopify. I m absolutly expecting them to branch out in SC2, but also probably other esports by either funding tournaments or even setting up a team themselves. Even though the first one is probably more likely
thanks. tlo is a legend. if you followed sc2 from beta you would get this. i remember waiting for my beta key (never got one, thanks ass holes) but i watched sc2 and tlo was up there with the greatests
I've always thought of TLO as one of the phenoms of the game. Oh so fun to watch .. my comparison would be with the Terran Gumiho: taking the game to unexplored territory. And now as TLO leaves the loss is ours -- but if there is one thing that seems to be constant in an extremely cerebral game like this -- it's that it is possible to use this talent and aptitude in impactful ways in other fields.
It's been wonderful to follow the career of TLO and I wish him all the luck.
Good luck to TLO with the future endeavors! It was always a blast watching his mega-brain creative strategies. The farewell video was amazing, all the old names and faces!
Hey TLO, I Just want to wish you the best of luck with your new endeavor. You played a huge part in my Starcraft2 career even if it was only for a couple of years. The original cast of Team Liquid are my heroes and seeing videos from Huk, NonY, Jinro, and other in your video put me in tears. I think you have all the good parts of esports within you and I truly hope your next journey bears even bigger fruit.
It was a nice troll to see him playing random in beta. Was unfortunate that he got carpal tunnel afterwards and after that I never saw him compete too seriously. Oh well, this post reminds me that TLO still existed as a player more than anything else. Gl in life bro.
The cry is real The Little One went bigger and bigger! One of those i always loved the most, up there with WhiteRa and Day9. GLHF with whatever you will do next!
I'm interested in the topic, I looked up the company. Let me ask what are they doing in Esports -sorry I don't follow the scene as much - any link to the upcoming so called "Shopify SC2 Pro Tour" that I was referred at page 1? Unfortunately no links at page 1.
One player that will be remembered and missed! He was a positive thinking person. Hope to see you again in the Starcraft 2 Scene. Would be nice! GL in your new job, too.
Thank you, Dario. For all the wonderful and creative matches we've seen, for all the cheering and nerve wracking moments, for the passionate playing and insightful commentating! Good luck and lots of blessings for the adventure called future. T L O! T L O!
On September 30 2020 06:02 Kertorak wrote: I'm interested in the topic, I looked up the company. Let me ask what are they doing in Esports -sorry I don't follow the scene as much - any link to the upcoming so called "Shopify SC2 Pro Tour" that I was referred at page 1? Unfortunately no links at page 1.
There is no Shopify SC2 Pro Tour. The comment mentioning it meant it as a joke, since the main circuit in the scene at the moment is called ESL Pro Tour (EPT), so they were implying that Shopify would take over the entire circuit by storm.
Shopify supported HomeStory Cup XX, StayAtHomeStory Cup and TSL5.
EPT
(as I cheesed 100% of my SC2 games I can be certain that I did cheese you)
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/Oyg68eP.jpg)
