by French Counter-Strike player Kenny”?kennyS?”Schrub officially announced his retirement from competitive gaming on Saturday.
The AWPer took to the stage ahead of the BLAST Paris Major second semifinal and spoke to the crowd while they were waiting for Team Vitality to take on Apeks.
kennyS started his speech by thanking them for their support since the start of his 12-year career in esports.
“First of all, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love you’ve given me,” he said.
“The way you guys look and speak to me is the greatest pride I’ve had in my life because I don’t know if I deserve it. To make it short, I’m retiring from competition. I love every single moment.”
The announcement was met with several chants of “Kenny, Kenny, Kenny,” along with a standing ovation from the French crowd.
kennyS leaves CS:GO as one of the best players in the esport and has around 11 LAN trophies to his name. The AWPer also boasts a Major winner’s medal among his wins.
Over the course of his career, which spanned Source and Global Offensive, kennyS earned worldwide recognition due to his aggressive playstyle and quick reactions. He has notably played with almost every major French lineup, including LDLC, Envy (EnVyUs), Titan, and G2.
The AWPer first made a name for himself during his stint with VeryGames when they decided to transition from CS:S to CS:GO. At the time, he played alongside other legends like Nathan “?NBK-?”Schmitt and Cédric “?RpK?” Guipouy.
kennyS went on to join LDLC and eventually Titan, where he reached a record high in his individual performance. With him on the lineup, Titan was able to win tournaments like ESWC France and DreamHack Stockholm CS:GO Invitational 2014.
By 2015, kennyS moved to Envy and won his first Major trophy via the DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015. The AWPer also won the MVP award of the event, which was his last attended top-four Valve-sponsored competition.
Another notable stint for kennyS was during his time with G2, which lasted from 2017 to 2021. He joined the organization’s “superteam that featured NBK-, apEX, Alexandre “?bodyy?” Pianaro, and Richard “?shox?” Papillon.
G2 won the DreamHack Masters Malm? 2017 and the ESL Pro League Season 5 Finals before kennyS was moved to the bench in March 2021. After his departure, kennyS turned his focus to content creation but returned to competitive play in 2022.
He played with all-French Team Falcons but left the team after a short stint following their inability to qualify for the BLAST Paris Major.
The legendary sniper has overall contributed to 11 LAN victories, won 10 MVP awards, and snagged one Major trophy.
