OG Dota 2 Roster Changes, Timado Departs

Things are shaking up in OG’s roster. The two-time The International champions part ways with Enzo “Timado” Gianoli, their carry player. As most Dota 2 teams do post-The Internationals, OG is reshuffling their roster in preparation for the next season.

Timado’s Time with OG

After only six months playing for OG, Peruvian Dota 2 pro player Enzo “Timado” Gianoli is leaving the team. OG announced the news on September 21, 2024 through X (formerly Twitter) with a video thanking Timado for his short stint as OG’s team carry. 

After Artem “Yuragi” Golubiev went inactive, Timado joined as his stand-in in March 2024. He became one of the permanent players on the roster in May. During his time with OG, Timado participated in several major tournaments. However, the team saw mixed results throughout their run.

OG competed in the following events:

• DreamLeague Season 22
• Elite League Season 1 and Season 2
• ESL One Birmingham 2024
• Riyadh Masters 2024
• The International 2024 Western European Qualifiers

OG’s highest placement is at the ESL One Birmingham 2024, where they finished fourth. It’s worth mentioning that OG originally failed to qualify for this tournament, only being able to compete in it as last-minute replacements.

The team achieved underwhelming placements at Elite League Season 2 (5th place) and Riyadh Masters 2024 (9-12th place). These are coupled with their failure to qualify for multiple other major leagues, a far cry from their former glory. OG most notably didn’t make it to The International 2024 (TI13), Dota 2’s biggest event and a tournament they already twice won. These disappointing results likely signaled the need for a roster change.

Rumors Of Replacements

Following Timado’s departure from OG, rumors about his potential replacements as a carry are already swirling about. The most mentioned name goes to Nuengnara Teeramahanon, or “23savage”. The Thai player had just recently left Aurora Gaming after the team placed 7th-8th at TI13.

Alongside speculations of possible replacements, there are also unconfirmed rumors that Timado’s former teammate and OG’s midlaner Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov may also be parting ways with the team soon. Unfounded claims about OG looking to sign at least one Russian player during the reshuffle period are also circulating.

Post-TI13 Reshuffles

Post-TI roster changes have already become a tradition in the Dota 2 professional scene.  Teams usually reassess their strategies and reevaluate their performance after The International in hopes of clinching next year’s victory. Players take the opportunity to rest or move teams before the next competitive season.

Other high-profile teams that made significant changes to their roster include:

• Tundra Esports: The team has parted ways with Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev
• Team Spirit: Another two-time The International champion is set to undergo a big change as Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk and Miroslaw “Mira” Kolpakov take a break from competitive play
• Blacklist International/Rivalry: One of Southeast Asia’s top teams is saying goodbye; Blacklist disbanded their entire Dota 2 division.

 

New Challenges for OG

With important qualifiers like those for BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024 and DreamLeague Season 24 rapidly approaching, OG will have to announce their new lineup soon. The problem of finding another carry player extends to building team synergy and adapting to the current and future Dota 2 landscape. 

The team’s legacy as the first-ever to hold two TI titles is not crumbling anytime soon, but past glories won’t earn them future victories. OG needs to emerge with a highly-skilled roster quickly if they want an actual chance to regain their edge. Expectations remain high for the team, whose lineup they are yet to announce can either reassert their dominance or further contribute to their slow decline.