Dota 2
CS2
Yes, they are back and ready to surprise everyone!
Any Dota 2 fan at some point in their life has stated with "absolute certainty" that NAVI is back! And even if you haven't, you've probably heard about it at least a couple times.
Natus Viincere (NAVI) is one of the oldest cybersport organizations and a truly legendary name on the Dota 2 scene. However, the last few years have not been easy for the Ukrainian team. While it has made occasional appearances in IT, it has been far from the success that propelled it to the top of the world in the early years of Dota 2.
For the past three years, NAVI has been patiently cultivating a new generation of players in its academic team. Three of the qualified TI 2025 players under the NAVI banner have already played 247 official matches as part of NAVI Junior. They joined NAVI Junior in 2022, with Artem**"Niku**" Bachkur, who was only 14 years old at the time, joining them about a year later.
A new generation is taking over
Niku is the youngest player to ever take part in The International 2025. He is now 16 years old, and is just 45 days older** than Sumail "SumaiL**" Hassan when he made his debut on the IT scene. Growing up in the same team has helped the players form strong bonds. But at the same time, playing the same formula and with the same coach for over two years made them feel trapped. They were strong enough to dominate tier 2-3 tournaments, but couldn't make it to the tier 1 stage. Therefore, a change was needed. And so at the end of 2024**, Bakit** "Hare**" Emilianov appeared in NAVI**.
Hare is now the team's only veteran, and is on a mission to help NAVI Junior take the next step in its development. With him as captain, NAVI Junior has outperformed the core team this year, qualifying for several LAN tournaments including Esports World Cup 2025 and TI 2025. After flying the NAVI flag at two of the biggest events of the year, they moved up to the NAVI Senior Team and now head to Hamburg, Germany to fulfill their biggest dream: The International.
NAVI roster
- Taras**"gotthejuice**" Linnikov
- Artem**"Niku**" Bachkur
- Yuri**"pma**" Prots
- Bakit**"Zayac**" Emilianov
- Stanislav**"Riddys**" Mitroshkin
- Coach: Maxim**"TheHeartlessKing**" Fadeev
"It's easier to work with young players," Zayac said in an interview during the Esports World Cup. He noted that they learn new strategies faster, develop a broader set of characters and generally listen and internalize what the coach and himself tell them."
Niku also talked about Zayac and what has changed in the team with his arrival. "He has brought discipline, a lot of experience, new strategies and more focus on things that didn't seem so important before but now have become crucial for us," Niku said of his new captain in an interview with PGL Wallachia Season 4.
Niku has all the makings of a unique player and regardless of what NAVI's final IT 2025 ranking will be, we are sure to see him for many more years to come. Some are comparing him to Spirit prodigy Alan "Satanic" Galliamov, who is currently on loan at PARIVISION. Some compare Nick to Sumail, which makes more sense since both are mid-lancers and made their competitive debuts at a very young age. Maybe it's an attribute of his young age, or maybe it's just his outlook on the game, but at 16 years old, Niku is a player capable of bringing an element of surprise to NAVI drafts by making some unusual mid lane selections. He's already shown that he's not afraid to play Grimstroke in the deciding Game 5 of this year's Grand Finals, or pick Undying on the middle lane in the $3 million dollar tournament (EWC).
If you are looking for a dark horse in IT 2025, NAVI is your best bet. They may not have the experience required for a big stage like TI, but their cohesion, determination and the fact that they know how to apply unique strategies and perform under pressure may take them further than many expect.
The 2025 International tournament kicks off on September 4, with 16 teams taking part in the group stage in Switzerland. The top three teams qualify for the playoffs, while the bottom three teams are eliminated. The teams ranked in the middle of the group will play each other in the knockout round. The playoffs will be held Sept. 11-14 at Barclays Arena, where eight teams will battle to retain the championship. Until then, rdy.gg will bring you all the information you need about the main event of the year and the teams fighting for the most coveted trophy in Dota 2, so stay tuned!
Other TI 2025 team profiles
- Nemesis: Filipino passion meets TI pressure
- Aurora: Shadows of the Titans
- Wildcard: On the brink