Fun sayings and memes define esports, gaming, and internet culture at large. Abios explores some of the best esports quotes of all time and their impact on the esports space.
Esports is a relatively new industry that has undergone countless challenges and changes. Throughout it all, the pros, orgs, investors, and owners have not only gone along with the chaos but have also helped innovate and shape the industry as it grows.
While many esports quotes are just plain hilarious or trolling, there are quite a few gems mixed in that show just how profound the competitive gaming scene can be. Here are some of our favourite esports quotes and how they have helped define today’s industry.
A Motivational League of Legends Quote
“Every single person who’s succeeded in life has experienced failure at some point in their lives, so I think failure takes a bigger part in people’s lives than one may think. It’s important to not lose yourself in the emotions from success and failure”
– Faker
There’s no denying that Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok is the face of esports. A veteran of League of Legends esports and an icon in South Korea and beyond, the talented pro player has shined a positive light on the esports industry in popular culture.
But Faker is more than the face of an ice cream brand — he has shown how much passion and determination it takes to be at the top for so long. He may be known for taking W’s at the League of Legends World Championship, but he clearly has been shaped by the challenges in his career and staying driven when things get tough.
Female Esports Quote
“Female tournaments, at the moment, are the only initiative we have towards female gamers. Because of those events, we’ve seen female teams even being sponsored. Those are band-aids, in my opinion. They serve a purpose, but underneath the band-aid the problem is still there”
– missharvey
Former pro Counter-Strike player turned innovator Stephanie “missharvey” Harvey, has continued to be an advocate for women in competitive gaming. In an interview I had with her years ago, she explained that female-only tournaments are needed to provide a safe space and platform for female teams but that the real goal is to have everyone integrated as one. To do this, however, female gamers would need to be given a lot more resources for practice early on, similar to their male counterparts — and the intimidation and harassment would also need to end.
For now, female-only esports tournaments have become platforms for competitive female gamers to show off their skills and speak about the challenges they see as women continue their attempts at joining the male-dominated space. missharvey has continued to be one of the first esports pros who fought for inclusivity while also showing how badass she was at the game against men and women alike.
Esports Industry Quote
“Smash is a beautiful game, it deserves to shine […] I hope this game lives on another 20 years”
– Hungrybox
In this impassionate speech at the Streamer Awards, pro Melee player Juan “Hungrybox” DeBiedma called out Nintendo for not supporting the competitive Super Smash Bros. community. The scene has continued to grow despite its heavily grassroots and crowd-funded background, showing that the passion of the community is what has truly made Melee last as an esport for over 20 years without any funding from Nintendo. It proves how esports fans come together for what they love and will do anything to keep their scene alive — one reason so many people want to get involved in esports and experience it’s electric atmosphere.
Inspirational Quotes
“That’s what a championship takes — never losing focus, commit to the goal, continue to improve mistake by mistake you make along the way”
– Steve Arhancet
Steve Arhancet is the CEO of Team Liquid, one of the biggest esports organisations in the world. As one of the oldest organisations in esports, it has teams across many games and has set a profound mark on the industry. The esports industry is volatile and unpredictable, with many new challenges that owners, investors, and innovators have never seen before.
But industry veterans like Arhancet continue to roll with the ever-changing esports landscape, showing that with enough passion and belief in yourself, you can continue shaking up the scene and inspiring change and growth. With esports, you must be willing to roll with the punches and change direction faster than an AWPer on a CS2 map.
“Up until they lose the game, they’re winning”
– Scarra
Former League of Legends pro turned streamer William “Scarra” Li originally said this while discussing Team Coast with casters during a match, referencing how Team Coast and other teams can still turn games around or make great plays as long as the game isn’t over yet.
But this quote has esports fans calling him “Scarra the Prophet” because of it’s overall profoundness in many situations. It’s a quote that simply means to never give up, never doubt yourself, and keep pushing even when it seems like the odds are stacked against you.
“I don’t think I’m the best, but I also don’t think there is anyone better”
– Olofmeister
FaZe Clan’s pro Counter-Strike player Olof “Olofmeister” Gustafsson said this around the time he was recovering and coming back into the game. His comment left a mark on the Counter-Strike scene, with many fans calling it “badass” and applauding his mentality.
Esports can be a real mind game. Many players retire early due to mental strain from feeling overwhelmed or tired of practising for long hours. Respecting esports pros as athletes has become the norm. Seeing their astounding abilities on stage or hearing of their grit during a rough season makes them inspirations to gamers of all skill levels.
Do you need esports data for your next project? As an esports data provider, Abios follows matches and events happening in the esports space daily, collecting data for companies looking to expand their reach in esports. Learn more today!
