Let me start by saying that xiao8 is obviously and undisputably an absolute legend of the game. What he has achieved in his career is tremendous and his ability as a player and strategist is extremely well established. Inasmuch as I do criticise him in this article, I focus solely…

Yesterday Team Spirit won TI10. The reality of their run was doubted at every turn. Surely not. With each subsequent win. Surely not. Every step of the way. This can’t be happening. Team Spirit defeated PSG.LGD in a best of five grand final to crown themselves world champions. Surely not…

This past week I signed up on an online betting platform, loaded $100, and placed several bets on Dota 2 matches. I’ve had a stellar record of predicting match outcomes for years, and after doing very well at a fun prediction game for a recent tournament, I felt compelled to…

Before the Singapore Major I wrote a preview which turned out to provide a fairly accurate overview of power rankings going into the event. While I’m inclined to make another attempt for the Animajor, it feels significantly more difficult this time round. …

Disclaimer: In 2021 I do not consider myself a Dota 2 expert. I have reduced the amount of time I spend playing, watching and analysing the game, and I have not cast any games or coached any players or teams in over a year. Because of this, my analysis will…

This is first and foremost a personal essay, about my own experiences. While I plan to make some broader observations, it must be understood that I speak from a privileged position. I’m young, have a roof over my head, food to eat, and a supportive family. Covid-19 has been most…

There is a popular narrative circling the Dota 2 community that suggests Valve should be giving EU more slots for DPC events. The argument goes that EU simply has a larger portion of the best teams, and the DPC should be about creating events where the best teams in the…

This week’s episode of We Say Things saw Synderen and Sunsfan discussing the harm TI is causing to the Dota 2 ecosystem. This isn’t a new idea — Will Partin wrote an excellent piece on the topic a full year ago — but it’s one that has been gathering steam…

I’m writing again for two reasons. The first is that I’ve gotten responses from all three of the above companies since Monday and would like to share them for people who are interested — as well as to respond clearly to them. The second reason is that I would like…