Dota 2
CS2
Nothing is ever stagnant or dull when it comes to the esports scene. Amidst the constant swirl of drama, tournaments, patches, and roster swaps, there’s always something unfolding behind the stage. From surprise upsets and standout performances to off-stage hiccups, each week brings a fresh mix of chaos and exctiment to our favorite (and often times most hated) games.
Counter-Strike 2
Tournaments
PGL Tier 1 Roadmap
While the sheep are all focused on the fun stories like FURIA and FaZe nearly going out 0-3 at ESL Pro League S23 (but not actually doing it, that’d be far too fun), PGL announced they’re pumping $22m into an overhauled circuit.
So much for the esports bubble.
This includes six (6!) tier one LAN events a year, $3m for players and $3m for teams as prize money, along with another $5m just for taking part.
The boomers were right about participation trophies all along, it seems.
It’s fantastic news though, and PGL are taking a swing at the big boys that should only improve the experience for the layman. Isn’t capitalism fantastic?
Dota 2
Tournaments
PGL Wallachia Season 7
PGL Wallachia Season 7 is currently underway and, so far, feels like the stand-in event of the year. Visa complications tied to new travel rules affecting Russian nationals entering the Schengen area have forced several teams to compete with substitute players.
Under the updated European Commission rules, Russian nationals are no longer eligible for multiple-entry Schengen visas and must apply for a new visa each time they travel to the EU, increasing both uncertainty and processing times. Travel documents issued in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories are also not accepted for entry into the Schengen area.
As a result, five teams are competing with stand-ins at the event. Tundra are fielding David "Parker" Nicho Flores in place of Pure, Aurora have Alik "V-Tune" Vorobey standing in for Nightfall, Team Yandex are playing with Dmitry "DM" Dorokhin instead of Noticed, Falcons have Artem "lorenof" Melnyk filling the role left open by Malr1ne, and MOUZ used their coach Immortal Faith as a stand-in for yamich for the first series.
Despite the disruptions, most teams have managed a balanced start to the tournament. Four of the five stand-in squads currently sit at 1–1, while MOUZ remain the only team among them yet to secure a series win.
PGL Wallachia Season 7 takes place March 7–15 at the PGL Studios in Bucharest, Romania, where 16 teams are competing on LAN for their share of the $1,000,000 prize pool.
Teams and Players
Team Spirit have announced Milan "MiLAN" Kozomara as the coach of their Dota 2 roster. He joins the team on a trial basis, stepping in after Airat "Silent" Gaziev was moved to inactive status in January. Silent spent five years with the organization and helped guide the team to two The International titles along with several other major tournament victories.
MiLAN is already present in Bucharest working with the roster, and early results suggest the partnership is off to a promising start. Team Spirit currently holds a 2–0 record at the event.
Meanwhile, a new roster featuring former PARIVISION members DM and Filipe "Astini" Astini has registered for the next season of the European Pro League in Dota 2 under the name Astini+5.
Astini+5 will play its first match on March 16th against Team Lynx at 14:00 CET.
If you can’t keep up with all the news happening, don’t stress — All rdy has you covered. Every Monday, we round up the biggest headlines, hidden gems, and moments you might’ve missed, so you can start your week informed and ontop of it all