Gaimin Gladiators has withdrawn from The Worldwide 2025 after failing to succeed in an settlement between the organisation and its Dota 2 roster, with Valve Company now looking for a alternative group.
Nick Cuccovillo, co-founder and President of Gaimin Gladiators, launched an announcement shortly after Valve’s announcement, confirming authorized proceedings are underway: “I need to share that Gaimin Gladiators received’t be competing at TI this 12 months. Some inside issues between the gamers and the group made it unimaginable for us to maneuver ahead with a roster.
“For now, I can’t go into extra element as there are authorized issues concerned, however I’ll share extra after I’m in a position to.”
The withdrawal marks solely the second time in The Worldwide’s historical past {that a} certified group has didn’t attend on such brief discover. Beforehand, MUFC missed TI2 in 2012 attributable to last-minute visa points, prompting Valve to run a best-of-five playoff between mousesports and World Elite to find out the alternative.
The timing of the announcement has raised eyebrows throughout the neighborhood, significantly as Gaimin Gladiators posted a countdown to The Worldwide on social media earlier the identical day It stays unclear how Valve will choose the alternative group. The match organiser might use league level standings to establish groups that narrowly missed qualification, or it might lengthen one other direct invitation.
A Embellished Staff In Limbo
The withdrawal comes after a extremely profitable run for Gaimin Gladiators, who signed three gamers of their present roster in 2022. The group established itself as a dominant pressure in aggressive Dota 2, turning into the primary organisation to win three consecutive Majors since OG in 2016-2017 after claiming victories on the Lima Main, Berlin Main and Bali Main in 2023.
Current achievements embrace profitable the Riyadh Masters 2024 and securing second-place finishes at each The Worldwide 2023 and 2024. The roster has earned hundreds of thousands in prize cash throughout a number of premier tournaments, establishing themselves as one of the vital profitable esports groups in historical past.
With authorized proceedings underway and Valve looking for a alternative, the way forward for the Gaimin Gladiators roster stays unsure.
