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Dota 2 fans can look forward to the next major event in December, as ESL has just unveiled the four invited teams for the Kuala Lumpur tournament.
However, the reigning champions of The International 2023, Team Spirit, might miss out on the competition due to roster issues.
Dmitry “Korb3n” Belov, Team Spirit’s manager, recently revealed that one of their players plans to take a break until January.
While Team Spirit is open to attending ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023, their participation hinges on the tournament’s rulebook.
The exact number of substitutes required for Kuala Lumpur remains uncertain because it’s unclear how many Team Spirit members will take a break.
Most Dota 2 tournaments typically allow only one stand-in, with a maximum of two if valid reasons are provided.
In a now-deleted Twitch stream, Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov expressed his desire to take a break without considering retirement.
He stated that he wasn’t planning to “go anywhere” but needed a break before the new season.
Aside from Team Spirit, Gaimin Gladiators, LGD, and Azure Ray also received invitations to the event.
Our #ESLOne Kuala Lumpur direct invites are LOCKED IN!
Welcome @team__spirit, @gaimingladiator, @LGDgaming and Azure Ray! 👏
The remaining 8 teams will be decided via the Open/Closed Qualifiers (12th-18th Nov) ⚔️
Grab your tickets now! 👇
🎟️ https://t.co/3c3IlcLkKf pic.twitter.com/IJBfKtxzQI— ESL Dota2 (@ESLDota2) November 7, 2023
With the Dota Pro Circuit no longer in place, professional teams are starting the new competitive season earlier than usual, with a major event right at the outset.
While Team Spirit could choose to skip this tournament, they prefer not to do so because ESL tournaments are a crucial pathway to the Riyadh Masters, which boasts the biggest prize pool in Dota 2 since the reduction in The International 2023’s prize pool.
Kuala Lumpur is quite a distance from Eastern Europe, making it an exhausting journey for Team Spirit’s players who recently claimed the Aegis of Champions in Seattle.
However, no invited team has declared their rosters for ESL’s Kuala Lumpur event yet, and they may wait until after the regional qualifiers to determine their stand-ins.
ESL One’s return to Malaysia at the end of the year has excited Dota fans in Southeast Asia.
The tournament is scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from December 11 to 17, 2023, with a total prize pool of $1,000,000 USD up for grabs.
12 elite Dota 2 teams from around the world will gather in Malaysia to kick off the event, competing for one of the eight available spots in the playoffs.
The playoffs will be held live at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) from December 15 to 17.
