Syed Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan is one of few Dota 2 professionals that dedicated his entire personal life to playing Dota 2. This week in our two-part series, we are going to tell his tale. If you want to find out interesting stuff about his personal life, his social media accounts and other relevant information, do not miss out!
- READ MORE: SumaiL joins OG’s roster
Who is Syed Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan?
Born on February 13, 1999, in Karachi, Pakistan, it appears that Syed was destined for the world of gaming. He started playing Dota at the tender age of 8. Ever since he got into this MOBA, he knew that becoming a professional esports athlete was only a matter of time.
However, it was hard for him to compete or nurture his individual skill in Pakistan. Luckily for Syed, his family decided to immigrate from Pakistan to Illinois. Once they arrived in the USA, SumaiL had a rough time. All 8 family members lived in a small apartment which literally left him with no space to train and sharpen his skills.
“I wanted to play so bad that I sold my bicycle just to play for more hours” - Syed Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan
Despite having a bad temper, SumaiL knows how hard it is to be the best in something. This is why he plays Dota 2... a lot. As stated in his interviews, he spends over 9 hours a day just practicing.
“In Dota, there is always something new so you just can’t stop”. - Syed Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan
Early career
As mentioned above, Syed was lucky that his father forced a move to the USA. This enabled him to compete in the North American Elite League. It did not take him long to become the best player there. By the time this league was over, SumaiL was considered the hot prospect on the rise.
In January 2015, a popular esports franchise – Evil Geniuses – came calling. After a very bad season, they decided to bring Syed in. However, his LAN debut did not go according to plan. Evil Geniuses were nowhere to be found and SumaiL was amongst the worst players in the entire event.
There is no denying that Pakistani youngster was under a lot of pressure. Luckily for him, he was surrounded with experienced teammates that pointed him in the right direction. Not even a month after his horrific showing, Dota 2 Asia Championship was live and SumaiL dominated everyone.
Game 3 against ViCi started off on a wrong foot. After getting killed 3 times in the first 4 minutes, SumaiL pulled off one of the best comebacks that we have ever seen.
Social media channels, Twitch and following
Just like every other Dota 2 professional, Syed is also very active on social media. Below, you can find his fanbase and direct links to the most popular social channels he uses:
- Twitter(@SumaaaaiL) – 229,000 followers
- Instagram(@ssumayl) – 141,000 followers
- Twitch(@sumayyl) – 175,000 followers
It doesn't seem like much compared to other pros but for someone who spends NINE HOURS A DAY playing Dota 2, social media management and engagement might be a bit too much.
Facts about SumaiL that you probably didn't know
Did you know that SumaiL has a brother who also plays Dota 2 professionally? At the time of writing, his brother Yawar "YawaR" Hassan is playing for Quincy Crew.
In 2016, Time Magazine included him on the list of the most influential teenagers. This was the first time ever that a Dota 2 player found his way on such a list.
So far in his professional career, Syed has won over $3,600,000 in prize money. On top of that, he is the youngest esports athlete to become a millionaire.
Outside the world of esports, basketball is his favorite sport. He is a big fan of Golden State Warriors and NBA is the only basketball league he enjoys watching.
When it comes to food, cheese pizza is his favorite dish that he eats at least once every two days.
From what we were able to find out, SumaiL is not seeing anyone and he is single but it makes some sort of sense. He has just dedicated so much to esports and gaming.
Speaking of esports and gaming... come back and read the second part of our journey into the life and times of SumaiL, where we will talk about his accolades, trophies and so much more.
And if you enjoy reading about the best and brightest in esports, take a look at our other pieces in our Life and times series:
READ MORE:
- The life and times of Topson – Part 1
- The life and times of ana – Part 1
- The life and times of Doublelift – Part 1
As always, keep an eye on EarlyGame for more Dota 2 news, videos, and fun content. Also, check out our YouTube channel and tell us what you like!
