Gaimin Gladiators has withdrawn from The International 2025 after failing to reach an agreement between the organisation and its Dota 2 roster, with Valve Corporation now searching for a replacement team.
Valve confirmed the withdrawal in a statement released on August 22, revealing that the invited players could not participate due to contractual disputes with their team. The tournament organiser stated it is currently working to find a suitable replacement team for the prestigious event.
Nick Cuccovillo, co-founder and President of Gaimin Gladiators, released a statement shortly after Valve’s announcement, confirming legal proceedings are underway: “I want to share that Gaimin Gladiators won’t be competing at TI this year. Some internal matters between the players and the organization made it impossible for us to move forward with a roster.
“For now, I can’t go into more detail as there are legal considerations involved, but I’ll share more when I’m able to.”
The withdrawal marks only the second time in The International’s history that a qualified team has failed to attend on such short notice. Previously, MUFC missed TI2 in 2012 due to last-minute visa issues, prompting Valve to run a best-of-five playoff between mousesports and World Elite to determine the replacement.
The timing of the announcement has raised eyebrows within the community, particularly as Gaimin Gladiators posted a countdown to The International on social media earlier the same day It remains unclear how Valve will select the replacement team. The tournament organiser could use league point standings to identify teams that narrowly missed qualification, or it could extend another direct invitation.
A Decorated Team In Limbo
The withdrawal comes after a highly successful run for Gaimin Gladiators, who signed three players of their current roster in 2022. The team established itself as a dominant force in competitive Dota 2, becoming the first organisation to win three consecutive Majors since OG in 2016-2017 after claiming victories at the Lima Major, Berlin Major and Bali Major in 2023.
Recent achievements include winning the Riyadh Masters 2024 and securing second-place finishes at both The International 2023 and 2024. The roster has earned millions in prize money across multiple premier tournaments, establishing themselves as one of the most successful esports teams in history.
With legal proceedings underway and Valve searching for a replacement, the future of the Gaimin Gladiators roster remains uncertain.
