Bryce Blum bids a heartfelt farewell to TFT.
In an heartfelt announcement, Bryce Blum, a prominent voice in the Teamfight Tactics (TFT) community, announced his decision to retire. Blum, a respected commentator and advocate, spent five years contributing to TFT as a player, analyst, commentator and community figure.
While Blum describes his decision as a possible "see you later" rather than a permanent farewell, the news has resonated deeply with the community.
Balancing Family Life and Gaming Ambitions
As a new father to twins, Blum faces a new chapter in his life. Balancing work, family, and TFT had become challenging. Bryce Blum's decision to retire reflects a desire to spend more time with family, especially his children.
"I simply don't have the time to keep up with the game anymore."
For Blum, the journey with TFT was far more than a game. “TFT has been a huge part of my life for the past five years,” he shared. He emphasized that he enjoyed every moment of it— the games, broadcasts, friendships, and community interactions.
TFT, he says, was the best game and community he ever experienced. Over the years, Blum's commentary added depth to the game and inspired many new players. But as his responsibilities grew, he found himself unable to devote as much time to studying "the perfect game" through VODs and theory-crafting.
"I delayed accepting that it was time for me to move on" says Bryce Blum
Leaving TFT was a difficult choice for Blum. TFT, according to him, was a platform for self-expression, growth, and community engagement. Blum's commitment to TFT not only highlighted his passion, but helped grow the community, raising awareness of TFT's strategic depth. Despite the challenges, Blum has cherished the relationships he formed through TFT.
"You hard carried DTIYDK before, during and after every episode—people have no idea how much work you put into making that show as special as it is. No matter what curveballs life threw at me over the years, I always knew that DTIYDK would be my happy place because you came up with a
way to bring the very best of TFT as a game and esport to life, then let me be a part of it."
Particularly, he highlights his partnership with Dan "Frodan" Chou. Frodan, he says, was a friend, mentor, and coach "all rolled into one". In fact, Bryce Blum delayed his decision to retire "purely because [he] valued what [they] built together."
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Beyond gameplay, Blum consistently pushed for the community's improvement constantly. Like any esports community, TFT has its own set of naysayers. But Blum says he is proud of being a voice of reason when controversy came to fore.
“TFT may be high variance, but the ‘this game is all luck’ crowd is dead wrong,”
Throughout his statement, Bryce Blum's passion for the game shines through. And looking back, he remembers many moments fondly. 1111LAG1, Appies' Chemtech Gnar, the 6v2 lobby sending Kurum/Soles 7/8 to extend the TFT Summit, Soju qualifying for Worlds in Set 7, just to name a few.
Finally, Bryce Blum, thanked other members of the vibrant TFT community. First and foremost, he highlighted Teamfight Tactics' lead designer, Stephen 'Mortdog' Mortimer. "TFT would not be what it is today without you.", says Blum, while highlighting Mortdog's incredible qualities and humility as a leader.
Mortdog himself was quick to respond to Blum's announcement. In his reply, he shared the community's sentiment as he said "TFT will be here with open arms if you ever feel the drive and have the time to come back."
"I'll miss this frustrating, beautiful game more than I thought possible." - Bryce Blum retires
Despite his decision to retire, TFT continues to be a passion for Bryce Blum. Concluding his reflections, the commentator shared some of his dreams regarding TFT. Commentating, Coaching and even playing himself, all make up "unfinished business" for Blum. But at the current stage of his life, those dreams feel far away.
As a founding partner at ESG Law, and President of the CCEBA, Bryce Blum will remain a valuable member of the esports community. ESG Law, as the first esports specific law firm, continues to represent many esports teams and talents. Blum's time with esports isn't over, even if the Teamfight Tactics chapter is coming to a close.
For now, fans can still tune in for Bryce Blum's final broadcast before retirement during the TFT Set 12 Regionals. Stick around on esports.gg for more TFT news and updates!
