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Rocket League veteran Kronovi retires from pro play, switching to Twitch, YouTube

The 'Hoops' mode in Rocket League, one of the many updates to the game after its release, has players shoot the ball into a basket instead of a goal - Photo CC BY-SA

Rocket League has to bid goodbye to one of its veteran players and the first-ever RLCS World Champion, Cameron “Kronovi” Bills, as he announced his retirement on Saturday through his Twitter account.

On a Twitlonger post, Kronovi said that he would like to step down and “pursue multiple fun aspects of the Rocket League community.” He stated that will focus more on content creation, coaching, and/or casting. He also promised fans that he will ramp up his Twitch and YouTube content.

Supports from players and fans alike swarmed the post, thanking him for his dedication to the scene for the past 6 years. Some even said he was the reason they got into Rocket League in the first place.

Kansas City Pioneers (KCP), Kronovi’s home team, wrote on its Twitter account that “This is not a goodbye, this is a thank you.” The post talked about how Kronovi has dedicated his life to the community and how he would still stick around, despite not being a professional player.

“Whether that’s on stream or in the casting booth – we look forward to seeing the next chapter of the Mountain (Kronovi’s nickname),” read the post with a video of some of his top gameplays.

The official Rocket League Esports Twitter account also bids the veteran player goodbye, saying they would miss seeing his name upon the RLCS pitch.

“But you’re 100% going to crush whatever’s next, and you’ll always be known as a player that paved the way for so many others that came after you,” read the tweet wishing the player good luck.

Story of Kronovi in Rocket League

Kronovi first rose to fame after winning the first-ever RLCS World Championships with iBuyPower, alongside Brandon “Lachinio” Lachin and Ted “0ver Zer0” Keil and going against the European known powerhouse of Flipside3 Tactics in the grand final.

He was also a veteran of the game’s predecessor, Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars. He spent his career with the game for a little over ten seasons, becoming one of the few remaining players from the first season. His reign lasted from July 2015 up until May 2016.

Since then, Kronovi had become a token child of the Rocket League. Everyone in the scene knows him for being a well-spoken and professional legend. He always provided insight in interviews and on-desk segments, despite not being able to maintain his Season 1 glory.

Kronovi’s career path was not always smooth-sailing, as he went from being a world champion to failing to qualify, and even fighting against relegation. However, no matter what, he always stood his ground and remained an everlasting presence in the RLCS scene.

In a letter posted through Twitlonger, he describes his Rocket League career as a “roller coaster at Six Flags. There are tons of highs and lows. I’ve always been someone that bounced back no matter how bad things got.”

Kronovi’s departure leaves only three Season 1 World Championship players: Pierre “Turbopolsa” Silfver, Garrett “GarrettG” Gordon, and Francesco “Kuxir97” Cinquemani, all of whom had won world championships following Kronovi’s footsteps.