Patiphan “Patiphan” Chaiwong is retiring from Overwatch for the second time, according to a tweet from the Los Angeles Gladiators on Thursday. He had joined the Gladiators in order to participate in the Overwatch League in December of 2021.
“An energetic teammate and dynamic player, we can’t thank him enough for not only his contribution to our team, but the joy he inspired within the entire Overwatch community,” the Gladiators’ tweet said. “Once a Gladiator, always a Gladiator.”
Today, @itsPatiphan is retiring from Overwatch.
An energetic teammate and dynamic player, we can't thank him enough for not only his contribution to our team, but the joy he inspired within the entire Overwatch community.
Once a Gladiator, always a Gladiator. pic.twitter.com/4OmWJyzElP
— Los Angeles Gladiators (@LAGladiators) September 22, 2022
The announcement of Patiphan’s departure came 10 days after Lee “ANS” Seon-chang left the Gladiators. Patiphan has not yet shared his rationale for retiring from Overwatch again. However, some fans have speculated that it could be to join a partnered VALORANT team.
More about Patiphan and his Overwatch career
Prior to his first retirement from Overwatch, Patiphan was considered to be one of the best players in Southeast Asia. He found great success at tournaments as early as the age of 15. However, Overwatch League rules prevented him from playing for a professional team before he turned 18.
In August of 2020, Patiphan stepped away from competitive Overwatch in order to pursue a career in VALORANT. He joined X10 Crit, placing in the top eight of VALORANT Champions 2021 with them. However, he returned to Overwatch shortly after he turned 18 and made his Overwatch League debut with the Gladiators.
With the Gladiators, Patiphan secured first-place finishes at both the Kickoff Clash and Midseason Madness. His clutch plays earned him high praise from fellow members of the Gladiators.
“The biggest moments that I’ve had in Overwatch [have] always been with Pati,” head coach Sam “face” Merewether said in the announcement video. “The thing that I will miss is just someone that I can rely on under real high-stakes moments.”
Despite his success with the Gladiators throughout this year and the impending launch of Overwatch 2, Patiphan will be stepping away from competitive Overwatch yet again. While it’s unclear what his next step is, it seems likely that he’ll return home to Thailand for the time being.
“This decision took so long but I think it’s the right decision,” Patiphan said in the announcement video. “I’m really thankful for my parents, who always cheer me up, and my aunts, brothers and relatives. When I come back, let’s eat together.”
