TL;DR
- Sneaky confirms active pursuit of LCS return for 2021 season with specific team criteria
- The former Cloud9 star spent 2020 building successful streaming career and cosplay brand
- His co-streaming partnership with Meteos became major success during LCS broadcasts
- Cosplay content evolved from joke to significant community engagement platform
- Cloud9’s dominant 2020 performance creates interesting context for potential return
Zachary “Sneaky” Scuderi, the celebrated former League of Legends professional and streaming powerhouse, has officially declared his intentions to explore competitive opportunities for the upcoming 2021 LCS season. This announcement marks a potential career pivot following his deliberate step back from professional competition.
The ex-Cloud9 marksman emphasized that his return to the competitive arena hinges entirely on securing the ideal organizational fit before the 2021 season commences. Sneaky initiated his formal competitive hiatus in January 2020, strategically timing his break before the season’s official start. Throughout this period, he has maintained his role as Cloud9’s premier full-time streamer and content producer, providing a necessary mental reset after dedicating nearly seven consecutive years to LCS-level competition.
“My approach to professional opportunities will become significantly more proactive heading into next season,” Sneaky revealed. “While I’m open to returning, I won’t compromise on finding the perfect competitive environment. I’m not necessarily seeking a roster guaranteed championship success from day one,” he clarified, highlighting his selective criteria.
During his competitive sabbatical, Sneaky has maintained an intensive streaming schedule while diversifying his gameplay beyond League of Legends. His established popularity as a streamer positioned him among the most-viewed active professional players throughout his competitive tenure. Notably, his collaborative LCS co-streaming ventures with former teammate William “Meteos” Hartman have achieved remarkable viewer engagement and critical acclaim.
Strategic considerations for his potential return include team culture alignment, developmental trajectory, and long-term organizational stability. Many veteran players struggle with the transition back to competitive rigor after extended breaks, making Sneaky’s deliberate approach particularly noteworthy.
Complementing his streaming dominance, Sneaky has emerged as an influential community figure through his innovative cosplay content. What originated as humorous stream segments rapidly evolved into a substantial creative outlet and engagement platform. Since those initial experiments, he has consistently produced character transformations spanning League of Legends champions and various pop culture icons, including a memorable collaborative cosplay performance with former world champion Bae “Bang” Jun-sik during the 2018 All-Star festivities.
The cosplay phenomenon demonstrates how professional players can successfully cultivate personal brands that transcend competitive performance. This approach has enabled Sneaky to maintain relevance and audience connection during his competitive absence.
Cloud9 management made the strategic decision to replace Sneaky with Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen ahead of the current competitive season. This roster adjustment followed the team’s underwhelming showing at the 2019 World Championship tournament. Partnering with support specialist Philippe “Vulcan” Laflamme, Zven has spearheaded Cloud9’s LCS dominance throughout 2020, capturing the spring split title with minimal opposition from rival organizations.
This context creates fascinating narrative possibilities for Sneaky’s potential return, particularly regarding how his playstyle might complement or contrast with current meta strategies.
Action Checklist
- Evaluate team culture fit and long-term organizational vision before committing
- Analyze current meta trends and assess personal adaptation capabilities
- Establish streaming/content creation transition plan for potential return
- Review financial implications of competitive salary vs streaming revenue
- Develop specific performance benchmarks and timeline for competitive readiness
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Sneaky says he wants to join an LCS team next year Former Cloud9 star Sneaky reveals LCS comeback plans after streaming success and cosplay fame