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Ninjas in Pyjamas Closes Dota 2 Roster

Ninjas in Pyjamas has announced the closing of their Dota 2 roster, with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic having led... Pablo | 7. December 2020

Ninjas in Pyjamas has announced the closing of their Dota 2 roster, with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic having led to a lack of sustainability in the competitive scene in both Europe and the game as a whole. Having long been one of the biggest names in Dota, NiP has disbanded their current roster, which has recently seen a host of changes, thanks in part to the retirement of captain Peter “ppd” Dager.

The organization struggled to find their best form over recent months, even with reserves Adrian “Era” Kryeziu and Akbar “SoNNeikO” Butaev having been roped in. The new-look Ninjas in Pyjamas roster never got to grips with one another, with SoNNeikO having eventually been dropped for Team Spirit’s Mikhail “Misha” Agatov. While results did improve slightly, including some strong showings at the Dota Summit 13 and BTS Pro Series, the lack of income hit the organization hard.

Can We Expect to See NiP Compete in Dota 2 in the Future?

Ninjas in Pyjamas could well return to Dota 2 once the competitive scene is fully back into gear, however they will take an indefinite break. NiP COO Jonas Gundersen confirmed the news in a statement, saying that “With the indefinite postponement of the DPC and The International, we find ourselves on an increasingly unclear path to financial stability within the game.”

Another issue for Ninjas in Pyjamas was the increasingly competitive scene in Europe, where many of the game’s biggest talents had found themselves. With revenues falling across the board, NiP were unable to compete for the most coveted titles, with the organization not being in a position to continue operating at this point.

What Happens to NiP’s Dota Players?

Gundersen did make it clear that this was not the end of the road for Ninjas in Pyjamas in Dota 2, however the organization will not be rushing back, as they wait for the right opportunity to come up. As for the players, those signed under the Ninjas in Pyjamas banner will now become free agents, meaning that they can easily sign with other teams.
In other Dota news, Valve has confirmed the starting date for the 2021 Dota Pro Circuit (DPC), which will get underway on January 28. No additional information regarding the circuit have been unveiled.