South American Dota 2 simply acquired dealt certainly one of its worst blows in God is aware of how lengthy. On the Dota 2 event on the Esports World Cup, one of many largest tournaments of the yr, PlayTime’s mid-laner Gonzalo “DarkMago” Herrera and coach Juan “Classic” Angulo have been provisionally suspended by ESIC over suspected breaches of its Anti-Corruption Code.
We’d later be taught that the “integrity points” they have been suspected of led to hints of attainable match-fixing. Consequently, the pair have been faraway from the Esports World Cup hours earlier than the workforce’s scheduled match in opposition to Vici Gaming.
With each barred from competing within the event, PlayTime was unable to subject substitutes in time. Consequently, the South Individuals have been handed a default loss within the elimination recreation, which means they have been despatched packing from the $2 million occasion with out even taking part in the collection.
Usually, this could simply be one other unlucky case in Dota’s comparatively ugly historical past with match-fixing, however given how the South American scene has been creating over the 2026 season, this case does sting much more for the area.
South America was lastly on the come-up
For a few years, individuals have clowned on the South American Dota scene, seeing it as the sport’s forgotten youngster. Traditionally, the area regarded like group stage fodder – they’d earn one slot to the most important occasions and get eradicated with out seeing the sunshine of the playoffs stage.
Nonetheless, the narrative has modified quite a bit lately, particularly through the 2025-2026 season. South America now has LGD Gaming (previously Heroic) and a secondary power: PlayTime, who’ve regarded like an actual Tier 1 contender.
For the primary time shortly, South America was now not sending one workforce to the massive stage; it was sending actual contenders – plural. We’d persistently see one South American make the playoffs of an enormous occasion. If it weren’t LGD Gaming, it will be PlayTime ending an S-tier event inside the prime eight.
Many different followers and I anticipated Valve to lastly give South America two slots for The Worldwide this yr. However no – Valve solely handed the area one slot, and LGD Gaming took it from PlayTime this time round.
Lacking TI might need modified every thing
TI is clearly the most important occasion of the yr. Although the prize pool has seen a big dip over time, it’s nonetheless the one that truly issues most.
With PlayTime lacking out on that slot to LGD Gaming, the Esports World Cup had just about turn into their final event of the season. No matter occurred in Paris was, in a really actual sense, the very last thing that might outline their marketing campaign till post-TI.
The factor is, there’s at all times going to be an enormous roster shuffle surrounding TI. Groups that did not qualify for it are fairly more likely to make modifications, and groups that didn’t win are likely to additionally look to rebuild after the event.
So, this context would possibly matter greater than it appears. In line with Staff Spirit’s Dmitry “Korb3n” Belov, he had heard that DarkMago was on the chopping block and was seemingly getting kicked after the Esports World Cup.
The factor is, DarkMago might need identified that. I assume my man wished to exit with a bang and safe a bit of parting bonus on his method out the door.
I imply, DarkMago is one factor, however the workforce’s coach, Classic, was additionally included within the packaged suspension. Classic isn’t simply the workforce’s coach – he’s additionally the PlayTime group’s sporting director, which is simply mad.
If he’s additionally concerned, what’s truly occurring behind the scenes?
Regardless of the motive could also be, these guys are loopy for making an attempt to tug it off on the Esports World Cup. It is a $2 million occasion and has eyes from mainly your complete scene on each single match. They’re both tremendous determined or genuinely assured that no person would catch it, and neither of them is a great determination.
South Individuals are fuming as scene is distributed two steps again
After all, the response from the Dota 2 group has been about what you’d anticipate: everyone seems to be annoyed.
Dota 2 caster Avery “SVG” Silverman didn’t maintain again on his Not for Broadcast podcast: :Even in these eventualities, your risk-reward is sacrificing your complete remainder of your profession for a single payout that’s like, not even rumored to be that a lot.
“Only a moronic determination, man. It’s simply so f***ing silly. And these guys destroy the religion within the Dota ecosystem. It hurts the sport, it hurts the event, it hurts Valve’s curiosity in doing extra. F*** you, man.”
The remainder of the PlayTime roster additionally commented on the scenario. On his Instagram story, the workforce’s place 5 participant Yelsthin “Elmisho” Hurtado even wished that anybody who’s concerned in 322 (match-fixing) ought to get punished with jail time.
Inactive South American professional participant Mariano “Papita” Caneda was extraordinarily dissatisfied, particularly because the suspected culprits ruined the primary Esports World Cup occasion for the workforce’s 18-year-old carry Máximo “Wits” Orozco Alza.
Regardless of being a rookie, Wits has regarded extraordinarily promising. I really feel for the child – he’s been making an attempt his a*s off and it seems his mid-laner has been trolling your complete time.
The pairing continues to be below investigation, and neither of them is deemed responsible simply but. Nonetheless, if the worst involves cross, this might spell critical hassle for the South American Dota scene. Simply because the area is taking a step ahead, it’s hit with two steps again.
The Esports World Cup itself was even presupposed to be a superb alternative for South America to place itself on the map. PlayTime wasn’t trying too shabby in teams both – and now that we all know one thing fishy was happening behind the scenes, perhaps they may have regarded even higher if everybody on the workforce had been taking part in it straight.
Many, myself included, have been pushing for South America to lastly get the respect it deserves. It’s now not a one-team area – there are two groups that may genuinely hold with the massive boys. And all of that hard-earned credibility is prone to happening the drain by two individuals who have been making an attempt to get a fast bag.
If Valve or event organizers have been ever going to significantly take into account giving South America extra slots at their occasions (like TI), a match-fixing scandal involving one of many area’s flagship groups doesn’t actually assist.
Can PlayTime get well for subsequent season?
Following the allegations and the workforce’s disqualification from the Esports World Cup, the PlayTime group launched DarkMago, Classic, and offlaner Frank “Frank” Ayala. It’s fairly ugly that Frank’s elimination was bunched in with the 2, however he made it clear he wasn’t concerned in any humorous enterprise.
Nonetheless, I’m simply glad Wits and Elvis “Scofield” Peña stay untouched and are almost definitely within the clear. These are my two favorites on the workforce, and so they’re precisely the sort of items you construct a rebuild round.
The group already confirmed a brand new roster is within the works, so we at the very least know that no person’s abandoning the ship.
