The global esports community is mourning the loss of Maciej “Shushei” Ratuszniak, a former League of Legends world champion and one of the game’s early stars. On April 28, 2025, Shushei passed away at the age of 36 after a short but intense battle with cancer. He leaves behind a powerful legacy that helped shape League of Legends into the global esports it is today.

Who is Shushei?

Shushei was born on March 16, 1989, in Poland. He was one of the first professional players in League of Legends who shed light and paved the way for many more players from all around the world. He started his career with the team myRevenge and won his first major tournament at the ESL Intel Extreme Masters in March 2011.

Soon after that, Shushei and his teammates joined Fnatic. In June 2011, they won the first-ever League of Legends World Championship in Sweden. The team beat All Against Authority in the final and earned $50,000. Shushei was named MVP of the tournament for his strong performance.

He was known for playing champions like Gragas and Alistar in unique ways. Fans liked his creative gameplay and strong presence on the stage. He later played in the European League of Legends Championship Series (EU LCS) with the team DragonBorns. Although his team did not do well in the league, he stayed active in the community as a streamer and cosplayer.

Shushei, unfortunately, lost his life on April 28, 2025, after a short fight with cancer. His sister announced his passing on Facebook, according to the Polish source boop.pl.

Shushei’s legacy

Shushei helped build the early days of League of Legends esports. He brought new strategies and a fresh energy to the game. He played an important role in helping the scene grow across Europe and inspired many young players to start their own journeys.

He began gaining attention in 2011 when he won the Intel Extreme Masters tournament with myRevenge. After joining Fnatic, he reached new heights. The team’s win at the World Championship made history and started a strong fan base for Fnatic.

Shushei became known for his use of AP champions in the midlane. He made AP Gragas and AP Alistar popular, and he helped start the double-AP meta that later defined Season 2. In total, he played more than 2,000 ranked games in Season 1 and showed a high level of dedication.

After Fnatic, he formed a new team called EloHell, but they did not qualify for the next World Championship. Later, he joined DragonBorns in the EU LCS in 2013. The team finished last in the standings and lost its spot in the league. After that, Shushei stopped playing professionally, but he continued to stay involved in the gaming world.

He was also active outside of League of Legends. He played Heroes of Newerth and World of Warcraft at a high level. In WoW, he played as a Death Knight and earned a legendary weapon. Fans also remember a funny moment during a celebration when he chest-bumped his teammate HosaN and made him fall.

Some people in the scene consider him one of the first esports stars in Poland. Fnatic later added him to their Hall of Fame to honor his achievements.

According to LoL Fandom, some fun facts about Shushei include:

• He played over 2,000 ranked games during Season 1.
• He was one of the first to use champions like Vi and AP Evelynn in competitive matches.
• He previously played Heroes of Newerth and World of Warcraft at high levels.
• During a post-game celebration in Warsaw, he famously chest-bumped teammate HosaN, who fell to the ground.
• He was inducted into the Fnatic Hall of Fame.

Shushei helped define what it meant to be a professional League of Legends player, and his influence is still felt today.

Riot Games honors Shushei’s legacy with an in-game skin

Riot Games has created a special tribute to Shushei inside League of Legends. Players can unlock a title called “Shushei Forever” by logging in. They can also unlock the Fnatic Gragas skin by playing three games as Gragas.

Gragas was one of Shushei’s main champions during his career. He used this champion during the 2011 World Championship when Fnatic won the title. The skin and the title are available until Monday, June 2.