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The International 2023 (TI12) concluded with a spectacular finale with the formidable Russian powerhouse Team Spirit securing the coveted Aegis of Champions once again. With this, Team Spirit has marked its entry into the exclusive club of two-time, back-to-back TI winners.
As the curtains closed on TI, the Dota 2 community witnessed the commencement of the post-season roster reshuffles, and, in some instances, complete disbandments. Amidst these roster changes, TI champion and former Evil Geniuses CEO Peter "ppd" Dager has been actively "teasing" some latest developments.
He seemingly teased the future of two notable names in the Dota 2 pro scene, Kanishka "BuLba" Sosale and Artour "Arteezy" Babaev. Later, he also posted a photo with most of the members of the 2015 TI-winning Evil Geniuses roster, suggesting re-entry into Dota 2 esports.
ppd’s 'Investment' in Post TI12 Roster Changes
Ever since the end of TI12, ppd has been actively talking about the incoming roster changes in the Dota 2 pro scene, trying to engage with the community.
On 30th October, he tweeted, "Rostermania is already in full effect. Western teams are having a major reshuffle and some full disbands. Add in the new org interest because of the World Cup news, who knows where we'll end up..."
He also added that the TI12 after party was "insane" and suggested a lot of "leaks everywhere," hinting at the off-season.
Almost a few hours later, ppd jokingly tweeted, "The new rtz bulba stack looks 🔥," hinting that Arteezy and BuLba will seemingly change teams in the upcoming 2024 season. Both Arteezy and BuLba are currently a part of the Shopify Rebellion team.
A common sentiment in the Dota 2 community suggests that BuLba's draft decisions may have hindered Arteezy's progress and contributed to his team's setbacks, and ppd's tweet could be a playful jab at their dynamic.
Later, he also shared a photo with four out of the five members of the legendary 2015 TI-winning Evil Geniuses roster. This was a lineup that made history in the Dota 2 competitive scene. ppd posted a photo featuring himself, Clinton “Fear” Loomis, Saahil "Universe" Arora, Kurtis "Aui_2000" Ling, and Avery "SVG" Silverman. He joked, "We thought we'd give it one more try. LF SPONSORS, DMS OPEN.”
Amid the excitement, fans couldn't help but see the jest that SVG was in place of the talented Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan, the only missing piece from this reunion of champions. Some fans on Reddit commented “discount Sumail.”
However, it's worth noting that ppd is known for his "not-so-serious" takes. In the light of the upcoming off-season, it could very well be that ppd is joking and trying to farm engagement. Therefore, his recent comments about Arteezy and BuLba have to be taken with a pinch of salt until they officially confirm their move to another team.
