It is a sad day for all pro-Overwatch fans as one of the most popular pro players in the scene, flex-God, Gengu-main and Dallas Fuel player, Brandon ‘Seagull’ Larned just announced his retirement from professional Overwatch.

I am no longer a professional OW player.

Returning to full-time streaming starting today.

— Brandon Larned (@A_Seagull) August 7, 2018

After making his name in the pro circuit via NRG where he competed in OGN APEX Season 1 and MLG Vegas 2016, Seagull joined team EnVyUs where he helped them capture Overwatch Contenders Season 1: North America before being rebranded as Dallas Fuel to compete in the inaugural season of the Overwatch League.

One of the most likeable pro-Overwatch personalities due to his cheerful demeanor as well as as entertaining streams, Seagull became famous for his clutch Genji skills and ability to flex to almost every hero in the Overwatch roster. Midway through Season 1 of the Overwatch League, Seagull, who was known to be primarily a DPS main prior to joining the league switched to D.Va; a move that caught everyone including his team by surprise due to his adaptability and effectiveness.

We’d like to thank @A_Seagull for his time with the Dallas Fuel as he announces his retirement from pro Overwatch to focus on streaming and his community. We salute his impact on the league and game as a whole. 🕊️

Details: https://t.co/PqbTNsHtHZ pic.twitter.com/6ub2ixnhGw

— Dallas Fuel (@DallasFuel) August 7, 2018

“We have nothing but love for Brandon,” said Mike Rufail, owner and CEO of Envy Gaming in Dallas Fuel’s official statement.

“Seagull joined us at a time when Team Envy had the most dominant roster in North America in Overwatch and helped contribute throughout the ups and the downs of our first Overwatch League season as the Dallas Fuel. We support Brandon in his decision and he leaves us on good terms. We’ll always be pleased that he chose to make his final act in professional Overwatch with the Dallas Fuel.”

So what next for ‘The Birdman’? In his immediate stream following the announcement, Seagull said he would go back to focusing on streaming full time. Unable to effectively do both (stream and play) during his time as a professional player, Seagull chose to dedicate his effort to his fans and in doing so, retiring as one of the most well-respected and decorated pro-Overwatch players in history.

“I have a lot of reasons, chat but I don’t want to jebait you forever – so I will get straight to the point.” he started. “I’ve jumped from game to game cuz all I wanted to do was be a pro player”.

“I went from basement dwelling neckbeard to a pro player within three months with Overwatch. I rode on that popularity with my steam blowing up and everything straight to the Overwatch League years later.”

“That whole time though I had to sacrifice a lot of things like my personal life, mental and physical health. I literally put on 40 pounds and developed sleep apnea. But it was all worth it cuz I get to compete” he continued.

However the main reason he left was because he felt he wasn’t able to properly stream and deliver to his fans due to his pro playing commitments. Attempting to do both won’t be fair to his teammates who he refers to as his ‘second family’ as well.

“To sacrifice the stream and the fans who got me here in the first place – I just didn’t wanna do that anymore.”

“Every single day you try to go pro, someone who used to be part of the stream that you built is leaving. And if you focus on pro play, you are letting down your stream. If you try to balance both, you are letting down your teammates who are your second family. There is no winning.”

He ended by promising to his audience, that if he ever returns to pro playing in any game in the future, will not abandon his stream like he did in the past.

Thank you for the highlight reels and the memes birdman. See you on stream!