Legendary League of Legends player Zachary “Sneaky” Scuderi has officially left Cloud9’s competitive roster, the 25-year-old announced on Twitter yesterday. The AD carry has been a member of Cloud9’s professional League of Legends team since the organization’s inception in 2013. He was benched from their active lineup after the 2019 World Championship, and has now decided to step away from the professional scene in favor of full-time streaming.
Zachary “Sneaky” Scuderi has been active in professional League of Legends since 2012. He broke into the upper tier of the North American scene when Quantic Gaming signed with Cloud9 in 2013. Sneaky began to make a name for himself under the Cloud9 banner, winning NA League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) Summer 2013 and Spring 2014, and placing second in Summer 2014 and Spring 2015. Cloud9 reached the quarter-finals at both Worlds 2013 and 2014.
Sneaky remained the only consistent name representing Cloud9 as the years continued, aiding the team in second placings in NA LCS Summer 2016, Spring 2017, and Summer 2018. Sneaky and co. earned some of the best international tournament results of any North American team, reaching the quarter-finals of Worlds 2016 and 2017, and later making the semi-finals of Worlds 2018. In Sneaky’s final year on the roster, Cloud9 made a top four finish in LCS Spring, and placed second in the following Summer season. The team went into the 2019 World Championship as North America’s second seed, and exited the tournament in 9-12th place.
Sneaky stepped down from the active Cloud9 roster in November, after the organization’s signing of former Team SoloMid AD carry Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen. Many fans speculated on where he would end up next, though the 25-year-old did not sign with any teams during the offseason. He has now confirmed that he will pursue a career in full-time streaming.
Sneaky is an active Twitch streamer, broadcasting regularly to his near 1.6 million followers. He typically streams his League of Legends gameplay, though has recently broadcast other titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Path of Exile. Sneaky states in his Twitter announcement, “Streaming has always been there for me as something I enjoy a lot, being able to have fun showing off my skills, connecting with my viewers, and just having fun being myself.”
Sneaky mentions that he will retain his spot as a part-owner of the Cloud9 organization, and will act as an advisor for the company, attending events and supporting them in “various ways.” He also clarifies that this is not a permanent retirement, and that he may return to professional play in the future.