JerAx
Jesse Vainikka | |
|---|---|
.jpg?lang=en) Jesse with his team during the The International 2018 |
Jesse Vainikka, better known as JerAx, is a retired Finnish professional Dota 2 player known for his playstyle with the hero. He began his esports career in Heroes of Newerth before transitioning to Dota 2, where he had back-to-back victories at The International 2018 and The International 2019 with OG.
Career
What’s the motivation? What is really that important for me that I want to pursue?
— Jesse 'JerAx' Vainikka, January 2020[1]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Get to know the Real JerAx | Unfold Jesse 'JerAx' Vainikka
on YouTube, 29 January 2020. |
Jesse's career took off in 2015 when he joined 5jungz, a roster that later became Team Liquid.[2] In 2016, he joined OG, where he won two Valve Majors and two The International titles,[2] achieving historic success with the team.[3] On December 9, 2022, Jesse announced his retirement from professional Dota 2, saying that his passion for the game was lost.[3]
In an interview with esports journalist Duncan "Thorin" Shields, Jesse claified that he left Team Liquid by choice due to his declining mental health. He cited stress, near burnout, low self-esteem and difficult living conditions as reasons for his departure.[3]
In 2020, Jesse auctioned his old gaming chair, which had the Team Liquid logo, to benefit the charity Save the Children.[4] The auction, conducted in collaboration with the Finnish talk show Valavuori Live, resulted in a sum of €5,300, surpassing the auction prices of signed jerseys from renowned football players Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney.[4]
Jesse retired from competitive play in January 2020 but returned briefly in 2021 for a six-month tenure with Evil Geniuses (EG).[2] He came out of retirement and joined Evil Geniuses for his return to competitive play in the Dota Pro Circuit, which was unexpected.[5][6] In a post-match interview, Jesse mentioned his past experiences with Evil Geniuses' coach, Kanishka Sam "BuLba" Sosale and his admiration for teammates Andreas Franck "Cr1t-" Nielsen and Artour "Arteezy" Babaev made him join EG.[5]
He later moved into a coaching role with Team Liquid, which he left in December 2022.[2][7]
References
- ^ "Team OG's JerAx and Topson on their esports journey so far". Red Bull. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ a b c d "Dota 2 esports in 2024: What really needs to change? | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. 2024-07-15. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ a b c Palzang, Dorjee (2024-04-24). "JerAx Reveals the Real Reason For Leaving Team Liquid in 2016". AFK Gaming. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ^ a b Raghuram, Vignesh (2020-05-04). "JerAx's Gaming Chair Auctioned! Raises More Money than Autographed Rooney, Messi Jerseys". AFK Gaming. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ a b Kathuria, Rakshak (2021-12-20). "JerAx Explains Why He Chose Evil Geniuses for His Competitive Dota 2 Return". AFK Gaming. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ "JerAx joining Evil Geniuses is the 2022 DPC season's biggest surprise | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ Çakır, Gökhan (2023-09-04). "Dota 2 legend Jerax claims Ludwig's Greatest Gamer event was harder than Dota 2 tournaments". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2024-08-15.