Michael Grzesiek, known online as Shroud, was born on June 2, 1994, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. He began his gaming career as a professional player in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), where he gained recognition for his exceptional aim and gameplay. Shroud played for several teams, including Complexity Gaming and Cloud9, achieving significant success in various tournaments. In 2018, Shroud retired from professional play to focus on full-time streaming, a move that significantly boosted his popularity.