Moms and Dads

From The Rift To Fatherhood: League of Legends Legend PerkZ Retires

by Kevyn Gohu
June 9, 2025

League of Legends pro-gaming legend PerkZ announces his retirement to focus more on being a dad

Most gamer dads can relate: when the baby comes, it’s time to put down the controller. The game’s over; whether they’ll come back or not, only time will tell. So, for the case of League of Legends pro-gamer PerkZ, many League of Legends players from the western community were dismayed. PerkZ, also known as Luka Perković, announces the “end of an arc” on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account on June 6, 2025, that he’s leaving the circuit to embrace a new role: being a dad.

“Anyway, in 6 months, it’s going to make 10 years of me competing. And in six months, it’s also gonna mark a very new and special chapter for me as I’m gonna become a father,” PerkZ says in the posted video that was allegedly “taken 100 times.” “Obviously, it’s exactly as you guys thought it would be: this is my retirement video.”

End of an arc. pic.twitter.com/PUjG3m7AU8
— Luka (@Perkz) June 5, 2025

A Pro-Gamer For More Than A Decade

Being a professional gamer is more demanding than some make it look. With over 18 hours of daily scrimmages (or games) with teammates, pro-gamers train their focus and vigilance to also form strategies against other teams. To make sure they remain in sync with their teammates, they train in several roles according to the game’s demands. For League of Legends, it’s divided into four areas: top lane, mid lane, bot lane, and jungle. Then, there are the four roles: DPS or Damage Carry, Tank, Support, and Jungler.

PerkZ, according to ESports Insider, earned his fame as one of the best “mid lane” players in the European region. In League of Legends, it usually meant being able to fight other players one-on-one while dodging any attempts from the Jungler or the one who just randomly dives in and takes out an opposing player.

But it seems like he’s not completely saying goodbye. PerkZ reveals that only time would tell if he would return to the pro-circuit. “I do intend to come back in some way or form, helping the young kids on the block that are eager, that are willing to put the time, the dedication to be the best,” he teased. “Until then, I’m out.”

While many are dismayed, many have been highly supportive, including Team G2. The official social media account of the team posted two photos which PerkZ had won a trophy.

“Thank you for letting us be part of your story. Congratulations on putting a cap on such a legendary career.”

League of Legends pro-gaming legend PerkZ announces his retirement to focus more on being a dad — Photo from G2 League of Legends

Entering the Dad Game

Professional gamers retire for all sorts of reasons. While PerkZ cited the stress from the career as one of the factors, it didn’t mean he had lost the love for it all. Video games, like any sport, can become incredibly toxic, especially when they become competitive. The lack of time allocation, the pressure to constantly win (in fear of losing sponsors), and knowing how to interact with fans — all these can crush a person. But retirement doesn’t always last forever. Sometimes, the pull can just be too strong.

And for most gamers, who knows? PerkZ may focus more on streaming. Until then, congratulations on becoming a father soon!

League of Legends is also one of the most popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games in the Philippines, with a community that has kids and teens cosplaying as their favorite characters.