Yatoro Explains Why Aegis of Champions is a “Scam”

In the weeks since he lifted the Aegis of Champions at The International 12 (TI12), Team Spirit's Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk has multiplied his prominence as a Dota 2 carry player. Yatoro described this feeling of surreality when lifting and holding the Aegis as short lived since the shield does not remain with the winning team for long. Based on the experience, the Aegis was only with Team Spirit for one night before Valve took it back, which he described as a "scam". To lay their hands and eyes on the Aegis again, players, even the ones who win, have to wait for the next TI.

Yatoro says TI’s trophy Aegis of Champions is a “scam”

During a recent Twitch livestream, Yatoro mentioned that the Aegis of Champions does not remain with the winning team until the next TI but is actually taken the next morning.

“Aegis is actually such a scam because you kind of spend one day with her, one night even. You spend one night, and then they just take her away from you, and you'll see her in like nine months, I guess, maybe 12.”

[transcription via dota2.net, translation via DeepL Translate]

In competitive Dota 2, Aegis is the most coveted trophy and is engraved with the name of each player of the winning team. More details about the shield's history and legacy can be found in Valve's detailed explanation on its website.

In his career, Yatoro has won the shield twice, tied with his teammates on Team Spirit and Western European organization OG.

Spirit's first win came at TI10 in 2021 when it emerged as champion after a dramatic run through the lower bracket. The team was an underdog at the time with most players being relatively unknown but they showcased exemplary gameplay and individual skill to take down one team after another.

At TI12 in 2023, Spirit became a two time champion. It was one of the top favorites and maintained top form throughout to win the event.

While most Spirit players broke through during the first victory, with Yatoro becoming well recognized for his remarkable versatility, he pushed it to the next level in the latter part of 2023 and was a catalyst in TI12's victory due to flawless execution and game awareness.

Fans have been treated to some Yatoro livestreams lately where he has shown his skill on in-meta heroes such as Slark, Faceless Void, and Spectre, but they will be eagerly awaiting him and his teammates’ competitive return. Spirit is expected to get back to playing competitively in January 2024.