These top eSport players decided on a complete career change

NBK considered a career in poker

But nothing is guaranteed. In any sport, there is a hair’s breadth between becoming a global superstar and an also-ran left wondering what might have been. eSport is still in its infancy, so there are even more unknowns. Only six months ago, NBK acknowledged he was on the verge of giving up eSport and becoming a full time poker player instead. Days later, he was leading the Falcons CS:GO team to one victory after another, and he continues to do so today.

eSport to poker would have been an interesting transition. It’s a path more people than ever are taking and the best poker sites (see www.tightpoker.com/best-online-poker-sites/ for examples) are full of talented amateur poker players giving the pros a good run for their money. NBK’s move never came to be, although that door will always remain ajar. Some of his contemporaries, however, have decided to draw a line under their days of professional gaming. Here’s what they did next.

Alex Ich became a software engineer

Alexey Ichetovkin, better known as Alex Ich was a big name and a recognizable figure in League of Legends. In his late teens and early 20s, he played for some of the biggest teams including Moscow Five, Gambit Gaming, and Team EnVyUs. Before he’d even turned 21, he was acknowledged as one of the best players in the world.

He surprised everyone by retiring from gaming at the grand age of 26, and after a couple of years streaming, accepted a software engineering role with none other than Riot Games. Now he has an opportunity to shape the game that shaped his career. It’s a modern day circle of life parable!

Holyman went to law school

Real name Carlos Mangco, Holyman will be familiar to anyone who has been following eSport since the early days. He was an integral part of the original Mineski Philippine team way back in 2007 when Dota 2 was still being developed and Dota 1 was the tournament game. Holyman was potentially ahead of his time, as even with his prodigious skill, he was always going to be up against it trying to make a living as a gamer 15 years ago.

He set out to disprove a few stereotypes and show that gamers are capable of applying themselves to study by going to law school. Today, he is a senior associate at Fortun Narvasa and Salazar, a respected law firm in Manila, where he specializes in Litigation and Labor. But he says he still takes a keen interest in eSport and is a loyal supporter of his old team, which is now, of course, one of the biggest eSport brands.

That’s Doctor dnm today!

dnm was the first name on the team sheet for Team iNvictus back in 2016 and 2017, when the team shone so brightly, yet briefly in the CS:GO arena. He also represented India in several international events. Despite his natural talent, he decided to leave pro gaming in 2017, and like Holyman, he followed a calling that called for serious amounts of study.

Today, he is better known by his real name of Gokul Sager and he is an Emergency Medical Specialist at St George's Hospital in London.  He combines full time work on the front line with continued studies in medicine.

Dafran transitioned from OWL to crops

No, it’s not a case of the world’s first Farmville pro, Dafran, whose real name is Daniel Francesca was arguably the best Overwatch player in the world three or four years ago. Unfortunately, like the great talents in so many sports, controversy often overshadowed his on-screen achievements, and he found himself suspended for reasons that ranged from intentionally throwing games through boredom to streaming a pornographic sim atop his Overwatch matches.

Dafran quit the game suddenly in 2019, Tweeting that he had spent a third of his life in front of a computer and we must do what makes us happy. He now farms land in his native Denmark, and by all accounts, he has never looked back.