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In a surprising turn of events, former Warcraft 3 professional and popular Dota 2 streamer Manuel "Grubby" Schenkhuizen voiced his opinions on the recent smurf ban wave initiated by Valve in the Dota 2 community. He claimed that Valve should be a lot more lenient on pro players using smurfs since it benefits their competitive careers.
This has sparked a debate about the nuances of smurfing, especially regarding professional players.
Grubby’s Hot-take on Dota 2 Smurf Bans
Taking to Twitter on January 20th, Grubby opened with a warning of his "controversial hot take." He acknowledged the negative impact of smurfing in multiplayer games and supported Valve's measures against it in Dota 2. However, he made a case for why professional players should be an exception.
"Smurfing is not great in multiplayer games and should be acted upon," Grubby stated. Yet, he emphasized the unique needs of Dota 2 professionals, who use smurf accounts to conceal their practice heroes and strategies, a vital aspect of competitive play.
Case Study of the Artour "Arteezy" Babaev Incident
Grubby pointed out the recent ban of Artour "Arteezy" Babaev's smurf account, which had over 7,000 games, as a testament to Valve's consistent policy. However, he raised concerns about the implications of such strict measures on professionals, given their pivotal role in Dota 2's esports scene.
"I thought pros had more immunity to the smurf rule," Grubby remarked, adding that professionals are "holding the esports afloat," and their need to hide practice strategies should be taken into account.
Reflections from his experiences as a Warcraft 3 Pro
Grubby also reflected on his own experiences with smurfing during his Warcraft 3 career. He described it as "absolutely essential" for hiding hero build orders. "Not everyone had the ability to set up private practice partner sessions," he explained, highlighting the challenges pros faced in securing their strategies.
Moreover, he noted how smurfing served as a tactic to "throw smoke trails" and prevent rivals from obtaining critical strategies before major tournaments.
Following his insights, Grubby advocated for a more lenient approach towards professional Dota 2 players regarding smurfing bans. He stressed that this leniency should apply as long as professionals do not engage in behaviors detrimental to the game's integrity, such as deliberately ruining games or extreme misconduct.
Grubby's stance has opened a discussion on the balance between maintaining fair play and accommodating the unique needs of professional players in Dota 2 esports.
However, many have raised counterpoints, noting that websites like Dota 2 Pro Tracker already publicly display match, hero, and other details of pro players, questioning the effectiveness of smurfing in concealing strategies.
