End of an era: Team Secret steps away from Dota 2

After months of inactivity following their missed TI 2025 qualification, Team Secret has officially stepped away from Dota 2 competition, marking the quiet close of one of the scene’s most defining eras.

Building a legacy

There was a time when Team Secret entering a tournament didn’t just add another contender to the bracket, it reshaped the entire expectation of who could win it. From its earliest days in 2014, the organization built its identity around ambition. Star-studded lineups, aggressive roster construction, and a relentless drive to compete at the very top defined Secret’s presence across the years. At their peak, they were not simply another elite team; they were the measuring stick. Tournament victories, deep Major runs, and consistent international relevance turned the Secret tag into one of the most recognizable brands in competitive Dota.

At the center of it all stood Clement “Puppey” Ivanov, the captain whose career spanned every era of the modern professional scene. His leadership anchored countless roster iterations, keeping the organization competitive even as the landscape around them shifted. For years, Secret’s story and Puppey’s story were essentially the same.

But sometimes eras do not end all at once. They erode.

Fall from grace

Team Secret’s last meaningful stretch of competition effectively ended in 2025, when the organization failed to qualify for The International and finished 9th–10th in the regional race. Since then, the roster had remained largely inactive, and with Puppey eventually moving on to a new chapter as a coach outside the organization, the final signal was already there for those paying attention. The engine that had powered Team Secret for over a decade had quietly moved on, and the organization’s future in Dota 2 suddenly looked far less certain.

• Read Puppey power; PARIVISION gets new coach for DreamLeague Season 27

Now, with Secret stepping away from the scene — at least for the time being — that long-anticipated moment has arrived. One of the game’s foundational banners is no longer flying in competition.

An unfortunate timing

For longtime fans, the timing carries an additional emotional weight. The competitive landscape is shifting once again. Historic names are returning to relevance, new organizations are investing in rising regions, and the ecosystem is slowly reshaping itself for the next competitive cycle. OG has found renewed momentum through its Southeast Asian expansion, paiN Gaming has re-entered the scene with long-term ambitions in South America, Natus Vincere is climbing its way back up to relevance.

• Read “If there's an ideal team for Parker, then this is it” - Interview with Vintage upon signing with paiN Gaming

That contrast makes Secret’s departure feel even more symbolic. While parts of the scene are being rebuilt, Secret is closing chapters.

Whether this exit becomes a temporary pause or a longer absence remains to be seen. Esports history has shown that legendary organizations rarely disappear forever.

But regardless of what comes next, Team Secret’s place in Dota 2 history is already secured. Not just in trophies or standings, but in the eras they helped define, the rivalries they fueled, and the generations of players who measured themselves against the standard the organization set.