AVULUS Commits to Dota 2 Future Despite Disbanding Current Roster
AVULUS has officially disbanded its Dota 2 roster after a string of disappointing results throughout the 2025 season.
Despite qualifying for multiple S-Tier LAN events in the year, the team rarely advanced beyond the bottom places. Still, the organization says it remains committed to the scene and is already planning to return with a new roster coming into 2026.
Tal âFlyâ Aizik playing for AVULUS Image Credit: PGL
A Season of Missed Opportunities
AVULUSâ 2025 campaign was mainly met with frustration. The team secured slots at major events, including ESL One Raleigh, DreamLeague, and PGL Wallachia, where it had the opportunity to play on Dotaâs biggest stages. However, they consistently failed to advance past the group stages. AVULUS often ended events with last-place finishes.
Even in online competitions, the roster couldnât find any consistency. Despite being a blend of seasoned campaigners and rising stars, AVULUS failed to take down weaker competition to win smaller-scale events.
As a result, the entire squad, except for two members, has been released from the roster, as confirmed in the organizationâs official statement.
Former AVULUS players:
Aliaksei âSmiling Knightâ Svirydau (Retained)
Vitaliy âWorickâ Brezgin (Retained)
Andreas âXibbeâ Ragnemalm
Athanasios âdEsireâ Kartsabas
Tal âFlyâ Aizik
The Fragility of the Dota 2 Tier 1.5 Ecosystem
AVULUSâ struggles may highlight what many refer to as the âTier 1.5 problemâ in Dota 2 and esports in general. The team was strong enough to fight through qualifiers and earn S-Tier slots, but was rarely competitive once facing the best teams in the scene.
Thereâs a clear gap between the worldâs elite and squads like AVULUS, creating a cycle where teams qualify, underperform, and eventually collapse under the weight of expectations and costs.
Itâs a very familiar story across the esports ecosystem. Recently, Shopify Rebellion withdrew from the scene, despite being a more established organization with better financial backing. This was due to lackluster results, despite its roster brimming with potential.
AVULUSâ exit feels like a reminder of how fragile the competitive environment can be, especially if your team is stuck between Tier 1 and Tier 2. Low placements in tournaments, even the biggest ones, just donât cut it sometimes.
A Plan to Return
Unlike some orgs that have exited the scene immediately, AVULUS emphasized its intention to stay within the space. In their announcement, the team confirmed plans to rebuild and return for the next season.
For now, only Smiling Knight and Worick will remain in the organization, though thereâs no guarantee theyâll be part of the final lineup next season, as roster changes are still possible.
Given the timing, itâs obvious AVULUS will likely look to the eventual post-TI shuffle, when free agents and roster swaps are plentiful. With the right pickups and moves, AVULUS could come back stronger in 2026.
What Does This Mean for Tier 2 Dota?
The collapse of the AVULUS roster is a harsh reminder of how precarious life can be when youâre not in the top tier. Without deep tournament runs, financial backing quickly becomes uncertain, and you can never guarantee your slot on the team.
Still, AVULUSâ decision to stick around does offer a glimmer of hope. While this project didnât work out, its commitment to the next season does give Tier 2 competitors a sigh of relief â showing that some organizations are still willing to invest and potentially encourage others to do the same.
