Team Falcons Exit Dota 2 After Nearly Three Years and TI 2025 Win

Team Falcons are exiting competitive Dota 2 after nearly three years with the same five-player core, ending the run of the roster that won The International 2025 and set records for longevity together. The Saudi Arabia-based organisation announced the decision on 6 September 2026, saying its esports strategy for 2026 and beyond is moving towards other ecosystems.

Farewell, Dota 2 💚. it’s been an incredible ride. Thanks to the players, staff, and the community for the unforgettable memories

نهاية قصة فالكونز في لعبة دوتا 2 🦅. شكرًا للاعبين، الطاقم الإداري، الجماهير ولكل من كان جزءًا من هذا الإرث pic.twitter.com/fX8lI9xNed

— Falcons Esports (@FalconsEsport) September 6, 2026

The departure ends the Falcons run for Oliver “skiter” Lepko, Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak, Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf, Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen and Jingjun “Sneyking” Wu. Their final tournament together was The International 2026, where the defending champions finished 7th-8th.

Why Team Falcons Are Leaving Dota 2

Team Falcons tied the decision to a strategic review of its multi-title esports roadmap. The organisation said its global focus is shifting towards ecosystems offering “greater strategic alignment and long-term operational sustainability”, while describing Dota 2 as holding a legendary place in competitive gaming.

Falcons also said it is supporting its players, coaches and staff as they move to their next steps. The organisation framed the withdrawal as a change in where it intends to invest rather than a reduction in its overall esports ambitions.

The timing is notable because Falcons are leaving Dota 2 with the same core they entered the game with and less than a year after winning its biggest tournament. Rather than rebuild around part of the championship roster, the organisation has chosen to step away from the title altogether.

Falcons Kept the Same Five-Man Roster Since 2023

Falcons entered Dota 2 in November 2023 with skiter, Malr1ne, ATF, Cr1t- and Sneyking. Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling joined as coach in January 2024, completing the staff setup that would oversee most of the roster’s run.

The team quickly became one of the strongest sides of 2024. Falcons won their first Tier 1 trophy at BetBoom Dacha Dubai 2024 in February, then added further titles during a year in which they won four of eight events before August and finished inside the top three at three others. Their first International appearance under the Falcons banner ended with fourth place at TI 2024.

Results became less dominant during the 2024-2025 season, with Falcons winning three of the 13 Tier 1 tournaments they entered. Their biggest result arrived at exactly the right time, however. After a slow group stage at The International 2025, Falcons won four consecutive playoff series and defeated Xtreme Gaming in a five-game grand final to claim the Aegis of Champions.

The International 2026 Became Falcons’ Final Tournament

The 2025-2026 campaign was tougher again. Falcons won one Tier 1 tournament across 13 appearances, although their status as defending world champions still earned them a direct invitation to The International 2026.

Falcons went 3-2 in the TI 2026 group stage and had to survive the Elimination Round to reach the playoffs. They swept Vici Gaming to advance, but Nigma Galaxy sent them into the lower bracket in the opening playoff round. Team Liquid then eliminated Falcons in a three-game series, leaving the reigning champions in 7th-8th place.

Cr1t- had already indicated during TI 2026 that the event would be the roster’s last tournament together. Following the elimination, he suggested that it may also have been his final appearance at The International.

Aui_2000 has also retired from professional Dota 2 coaching. His career closes with three Aegis victories across two roles, as a player with Evil Geniuses at TI 2015, then as a coach with Tundra Esports at TI 2022 and Falcons at TI 2025.

Falcons’ Five-Man Roster Played 799 Games Together

The unchanged Falcons five leave with 799 competitive games played together, the most recorded for a single five-player Dota 2 lineup. They won 523 of those matches for a 65.46% win rate, also giving the group the record for the most victories by one five-man squad.

Across their nearly three years together, Falcons won nine Tier 1 tournaments. Their trophy run included BetBoom Dacha Dubai 2024, DreamLeague and ESL One Birmingham titles, before culminating with The International 2025. The organisation’s Dota 2 prize winnings across the run were reported at roughly US$7.3 million.

Keeping all five starters together from the organisation’s November 2023 entry through TI 2026 is central to those records. There was never a replacement player brought in to reset the match count, leaving the same five names attached to all 799 games.

What Happens to skiter, Malr1ne, ATF and Sneyking Next

With Cr1t- signalling that his playing career may be over and Aui_2000 retiring from coaching, attention now turns to the remaining four members of the championship lineup. Skiter, Malr1ne, ATF and Sneyking had not announced new teams as of 7 September.

ATF thanked Falcons, the staff, supporters and his teammates after the announcement, saying he was “very grateful” for the opportunity and the history the roster made together. Skiter similarly described his time with Falcons as “unforgettable” and said the people involved would hold a special place in his heart.

The four players therefore enter the post-TI 2026 Dota 2 roster shuffle without confirmed destinations. As of 7 September, no next team had been announced for skiter, Malr1ne, ATF or Sneyking.