Chinese eSports player Jian Zihao announced his official retirement from gaming. The 23-year-old eSports athlete cited poor health and obesity, among others. He has been playing professionally since 2012 under the pseudonym "Uzi."

According to BBC, Zihao's specialty is in the MOBA "League of Legends." His decision to quit the international arena of eSports gaming was announced on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, where he has five million followers.

Zihao has been popular for his aggressive playing style, which also earned him the moniker "Mad Dog." In his message for his fans, the eSports athlete informed them that he was "proudly" making the decision to retire. In his message, he also said that he had been suffering diabetes and was living on a "fatty diet."

He assured fans that he had been taking the steps to return to a healthier lifestyle. According to the player, he had to change his work schedule from staying up late to exercising and regularly "taking medicine." He made it clear, however, that he was not in a good "mental state" yet. He also said he was suffering from a hand injury, a common complaint among eSports players.

According to Fastbreak PH, Uzi was well-loved by the Chinese media and was included among the best players in the history of League of Legends. He was a member of the Chinese eSports team Royal Never Give Up (RNG). He was praised as an important member of RNG and was also hailed as an "icon" in worldwide eSports.

RNG issued a statement, saying that they wished him well and will further assist him in his future endeavors. Additionally, they will help him recover to his full state. They promised the player that they will never leave him, even if he is retiring.

Zihao's retirement from competitive gaming sheds light on the dangerous side-effects of the electronic sport, where a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet and long hours in front of a computer screen leads to serious health conditions. Players have also complained about digestive problems as well as deteriorating eyesight as common, which leads to early retirements from the sport, like Zihao had done.

Based on the eSport Earnings portal, Uzi is presently ranked at no. 206 in the highest overall earnings with $545,447.55 from 41 different tournaments before retiring. He ranks at no. 44 in the highest earnings list for players from China.

eSports are on the rise
eSports are on the rise AFP / Brendan Smialowski