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One of the most notable esports organizations is stepping away from the Dota 2 scene, at least temporarily. Southeast Asian team Fnatic has announced that it will disband its Dota 2 roster and temporarily step away from the division.
The decision was reached after Fnatic produced subpar results at the SEA DPC Tour, where its roster went 1-6 in the DPC SEA Division I first season and was dropped to Division II.
Fnatic informed fans of the development on Twitter, revealing that it was proud of its decade-long journey in Dota 2. The organization also said that being a part of the esports scene allowed them to display their “competitive drive, high performance and industry-defining brand” and create a passionate fan base in Southeast Asia.
“Recently we have been forced to reflect on the sustainability and future of the title for Fnatic, and ultimately, to make a difficult but necessary decision to temporarily withdraw from the DOTA 2 pro circuit,” read the statement.
“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the players, staff, and members who have been a part of this incredible journey, alongside our incredible fanbase who have made our journey in the SEA region so special.”
The organization also gave an update on the players on its Dota 2 roster in the post. According to Fnatic, they would make sure to put the players and staff in new homes before formally making their exit from the DPC Tour 2023.
Fnatic’s current Dota 2 roster consists of Djardel “DJ” Mampusti, Armel “Armel” Tabios, Jaunuel “Jaunuel” Arcilla, Damien “kpii” Sau-jing, and Kim “Gabbi” Santos.
In the meantime, the roster will continue playing together and finish their run in Beyond The Summit’s Pro Series Season 14, to which Fnatic was invited.
The organization concluded the announcement by promising to support each of its Dota 2 players while they took the next steps in their careers and thanked them for their years of contribution.
While Fnatic did not specify the date of their return or under what conditions it would be, the team mentioned that the withdrawal was temporary several times. The organization made a similar cut at the start of the year when they put a successful CS:GO academy project on hold.
Fnatic started playing in Dota 2 in 2011 with a Serbian lineup and, by 2012, became a household name with Johan “N0tail” Sundstein’s Heroes of Newerth squad. In 2015 the organization moved to Southeast Asia and became one of the most successful squads in the region.
Fnatic has since had several talents on its Dota 2 lineup, including Abed “Abed” Yusop, Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng, Saahil “Universe” Arora, and Daryl “iceiceice” Koh.
The group has notably made appearances at Dota’s premier The International every year since 2023, earning it a nine-year streak. Fnatic and Evil Geniuses hold the position as the second highest attendance at the event, while LGD comes first with its 10 times attendance.
Fnatic’s most impressive finish at the event was a fourth place finish during their run in TI6 led by Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung.
Considering that Fnatic competed in The International 2022 months earlier, relegation was possibly not in the cards for them. Their TI11 run was not particularly impressive, as Fnatic finished in 13th place. Legendary players in the region were brought on to bulk up the team; however, they did not fare much differently after.
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