Dota 2 pro player Quinn Callahan has announced his retirement from competitive gaming. After competing in 3 Majors and reaching the finals of The International twice, Quinn leaves behind a career marked by dedication, achievements, and plenty of unforgettable moments that became popular memes.
After almost ten years as a professional Dota 2 player, Quinn Callahan, known as “Quinn,” is retiring. He achieved significant success, including three Major tournament wins and two second-place finishes at The International, the game’s biggest championship.
I’ve been following Quinn’s career for a while now, and it’s been amazing to watch him grow. Before all the recent success, he really paid his dues, grinding it out in the North American scene with teams like Quincy Crew. Even when things were tough and wins were hard to come by, he always earned a ton of respect for his determination. What I really appreciate about Quinn is how real he is – he’s super emotional and doesn’t shy away from showing his personality. He takes both the cheers and the criticism in stride, and honestly, he’s always described his journey as a wild ride – he famously calls it a ‘Clown Fiesta,’ which I think perfectly captures his attitude!
Career reflection
In his retirement video, Quinn explained that his goals were to become the world’s top player, or at least the best in his position, and to prove he could compete and win at the highest levels, ultimately hoping to win The International – the biggest tournament in the game.
I had a fantastic 2023 season. I felt I was the top mid-lane player globally for a while, and our team dominated, winning many tournaments and consistently being ranked number one for most of the year. I’m incredibly thankful for that experience.
Quinn had a fantastic 2023, achieving his greatest success as a professional player while playing mid-lane for Gaimin Gladiators.
In just four months, Quinn captained his team, Gaimin Gladiators, to victory in three major Dota 2 tournaments held in South America, Europe, and Asia – the Lima Major, Berlin Major, and Bali Major. They continued their success by finishing second at The International 2023 (TI12) in October of that year.
The team finished their year at ESL One Kuala Lumpur, taking second place once again. Throughout almost all of 2023, Quinn’s Gaimin Gladiators were clearly the best Dota 2 team. However, this success started to take its toll as the next season began.
| Team Placement | Event | Month |
|---|---|---|
| 1st place | Lima Major | March 2023 |
| 1st place | Berlin Major | May 2023 |
| 1st place | Bali Major | July 2023 |
| 2nd place | The International 2023 | October 2023 |
| 2nd place | ESL One Kuala Lumpur | December 2023 |
A turning point in 2024
Even when he was at the very top, I could tell the constant pressure of playing Dota 2 was really getting to Quinn. He always said the only thing that made it all worthwhile was the drive to be the best, to really achieve something amazing.
Quinn explained, “I used to have a clear goal, and that drove a lot of the hardship I faced. But after 2023, things shifted. I accomplished almost everything I set out to do, except for winning The International.”
I’d already shown myself – and everyone else – that I was capable of achieving greatness. But all the sacrifices – the endless work, missing important family events and time with loved ones – started to feel pointless.
“Over the 2024 season, I wrestled with that and decided that 2025 would be my last year.”
Shoutouts and gratitude
Now that Quinn has officially stopped playing Dota 2, he spent the latter part of his video expressing gratitude to the people who helped him throughout his career.
First, I want to express my gratitude to my parents for their unwavering support. I realize many people, particularly in esports, don’t have that, and I truly appreciate it.
Honestly, my parents are the best. They’ve always been in my corner, cheering me on and supporting everything I do. I’m just so thankful to have them backing me up – it means the world to me!
Quinn thanks his parents for his support
I loved hearing Quinn give a shout-out to all the players who helped him along the way! He thanked his old Quincy Crew teammates – SVG, Jack, Yawar, MSS, and Lelis – for battling with him in all those North American matches. He also gave a special thanks to Kitrak, Bulba, and Blitz for guiding him when he was first starting out. It was really cool to see him acknowledge everyone who supported him.
He also acknowledged Optic Gaming, the team that launched his Dota 2 career in 2017, under the leadership of TI5 champion Peter “ppd” Dager. The lineup – consisting of Quinn, Pajkatt, PPD, Misery, and Zai – initially competed as Team Dire after The International 2017. However, strong performances led to them being signed by Optic Gaming for the 2017-2018 Dota Pro Circuit season.
I’m really grateful to Optic for the opportunity they gave me, and to all my teammates from that year. I have great memories of my time there, even though I wasn’t very good at the beginning. They believed in me and gave me a chance, and I really appreciate that.
That experience really launched my career, and I’ll always appreciate them taking a chance on me and believing in my potential.
Quinn shared a heartfelt goodbye with his former Gaimin Gladiators teammates: Anton, Ace, Tofu, Celery, Cy, Watson, and Maui.
I’m incredibly grateful for everything we accomplished as a team. Before joining, I didn’t have much, and each of you was an amazing teammate. Playing with you all meant the world to me. I wasn’t always perfect, but we achieved success together.
I’m not sure how things will turn out because I’m recording this before The International. If we win, it would be an amazing way to finish what’s been a really challenging but rewarding few years.
Whether we won or lost doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things – life continues. I’m incredibly grateful for your faith in me, not just as a player, but as a teammate and someone you could count on through all the hard work and challenges we faced together. I truly appreciate each and every one of you, and I’ll always cherish this experience.
Quinn ended his message by thanking his fans-even those who didn’t always like him-and referencing the famous ‘clown fiesta’ meme he’s known for.
Thanks to everyone who followed my journey, whether you were a supporter or not. It’s been a fun ride, and I hope you enjoyed watching everything unfold as much as I enjoyed participating.
Though stepping away from competition, Quinn made it clear he isn’t leaving Dota behind.
What’s next for Quinn
After retiring from professional play, Quinn plans to work as a Dota 2 analyst. He also wants to start streaming again and create a comprehensive Dota 2 guide.
Quinn is creating a detailed Dota guide aimed at experienced players. He says it will cover information that’s currently hard to find or very specialized.
I plan to share everything openly and explain it in detail, from the fundamental basics all the way to the complex strategies that influence how the game plays. Essentially, I’m aiming to create a comprehensive guide to Dota.
Quinn is retiring as a legendary Dota 2 player, widely considered one of the best North America has ever seen. Throughout his impressive career, he’s won over $2 million in prize money, placing him among the top 100 highest-earning esports players worldwide.
Quinn said, “It’s been a real pleasure, and I’m grateful for the experience. Thank you for everything, both the good times and the challenges. I hope our paths cross again.”
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2025-09-18 20:13