PGL has officially announced the 12 invited teams for PGL Wallachia Season 7, confirming the return of its flagship Dota 2 event to Bucharest from March 7 to 15, with a total prize pool of $1 million and a full 16 team lineup.

The tournament marks the second Wallachia event since The International 2026, following Mouz’s dramatic title win at Season 6, and once again places PGL Studios at the centre of the early 2026 competitive calendar.

All Invited Teams For PGL Wallachia Season 7

PGL confirmed the following 12 teams have received direct invitations to Wallachia Season 7:

• BetBoom
• Aurora
• Team Falcons
• Team Liquid
• Natus Vincere
• OG Esports
• Parivision
• Team Spirit
• Tundra Esports
• Mouz
• Team Yandex
• Xtreme Gaming

🌟 We are thrilled to announce the 12 Invited Teams for 🐺 PGL Wallachia 🇷🇴 Season 7!

📅 March 7-15
📍 PGL Studios
💰 $1M
👥 16 teams#PGLWallachia pic.twitter.com/HGh5Gj5JOf

— PGL (@pglesports) January 26, 2026

These invites cover many of the strongest international contenders, ensuring a high level of competition before a single qualifier has even concluded.

Four Closed Qualifier Spots Still Up For Grabs

The remaining four slots will be decided through regional Closed Qualifiers in the Americas, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia.

Several notable teams are expected to contest those places. In the Americas, GamerLegion and Heroic headline the field. Western Europe features Virtus.pro and Nigma Galaxy, while Eastern Europe includes 1Win and Avulus. Asian qualifiers are set to feature Rekonix, Vici Gaming, and Team Nemesis among others.

Mouz Return As Defending Wallachia Champions

Mouz enter the tournament as reigning Wallachia champions after edging Team Spirit 3-2 in a tense Season 6 Grand Final. However, their recent form has been mixed. At BLAST Slam V, Mouz finished in the 3rd to 4th range, falling to eventual champions Tundra Esports in the semi-finals.

That result sets up a potential rematch narrative, with Tundra arriving in strong form and clearly capable of challenging for the title.

Key Roster And Staff Storylines To Watch

Several teams arrive with notable changes or unresolved questions. BetBoom will see the return of coach Anatoly “boolk” Ivanov to the active lineup after being benched in September, a move that could significantly impact their preparation and in-game structure.

Team Spirit, meanwhile, remain without a coach following the benching of Airat “Silent” Gaziev. While rumours continue to circulate around Filipe “Astini” Ribeiro potentially joining the organisation, no official confirmation has been made ahead of the event.

OG Esports also arrive with a symbolic change, as this will be the first Wallachia event featuring their return to green jerseys after ending their near decade-long partnership with Red Bull.

PGL Wallachia Season 7 Format And Prize Pool Details

PGL Wallachia Season 7 will take place at PGL Studios in Bucharest, Romania, running from March 7 to 15.

The tournament features a $1,000,000 prize pool, with $300,000 awarded to the champions.

All 16 teams will compete in a full Best of 3 Swiss stage, where the top eight teams advance and the bottom eight are eliminated. The playoffs will use a double-elimination Best of 3 bracket, culminating in a Best of 5 Grand Final to decide the champion.

Why Wallachia Season 7 Matters

With elite teams returning, unresolved roster questions, and four open qualifier slots still to be filled, PGL Wallachia Season 7 is shaping up as one of the most competitive Dota 2 events of early 2026. The mix of established champions, evolving lineups, and regional hopefuls makes the Bucharest event a key checkpoint before the season fully settles.

The post PGL Wallachia Season 7 Invited Teams Revealed As $1 Million Dota 2 Event Returns To Bucharest appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A New Chapter Begins in Southeast Asia

OG Esports has officially unveiled its new Dota 2 roster, marking a bold new era for the organisation as it expands from Europe into Southeast Asia. The two-time International champions announced an all-Filipino line-up through a cinematic two-minute trailer posted on social media, declaring their intent to “stake their claim to SEA Dota 2.”

A new chapter unfolds today, in a region that feels like home.

New legends rise and we’re here to stake our claim to SEA Dota 2. pic.twitter.com/UFFkaa5CZn

— OG (@OGesports) November 8, 2025

After a year of inconsistent results and a full roster disbandment just weeks earlier, this move represents both a fresh start and a calculated pivot for one of the most storied organisations in Dota 2 history.

From Europe to the Philippines

The new roster consists entirely of the former Team Aureus line-up, a squad that had been making waves in the SEA region before catching OG’s attention. The players now donning the OG jersey are:

• John ‘Natsumi-’ Anthony Vargas
• Erin Jasper ‘Yopaj-’ Ferrer
• Nikko ‘Nikko’ Bilocura
• Timothy ‘Tims’ Randrup
• Rolen Andrei Gabriel ‘Skem’ Ong
• Adam ‘343’ Erwann Shah bin Akhtar Husseih (Coach)

Coach 343 brings valuable experience from his time with Fnatic and other SEA rosters, providing stability and insight for the newly formed team.

OG’s move was met with excitement from both international and local fans, especially as SEA has long been considered one of the most passionate Dota 2 regions. Co-founder and Dota legend Sébastien “Ceb” Debs spoke warmly about the decision, saying:

“If the SEA region is going to finally get the championships it deserves, I’m sure that will be with OG. SEA always felt like home to us, and I want to thank all the SEA fans for the support that you always provided to OG.”

Meet the New Legends

Each member of OG’s new roster brings notable experience and achievements.

• Natsumi-, formerly with Talon Esports, claimed victory at the MESA Invitational 2024 after defeating Natus Vincere 2-0 in the Grand Final.
• Nikko, also known as “Force,” previously played for MOUZ and helped them win the Dota 2 World Invitationals 2024, sweeping L1GA TEAM 3-0.
• Veterans Yopaj, Tims, and Skem are all familiar faces from their time with BOOM Esports, a team that made headlines in 2022 by winning the GAMERS GALAXY Invitational Series Dubai.

This roster blends established experience with regional synergy, giving OG a strong foundation as they aim to re-establish their competitive legacy.

OG’s Next Challenge

Fans won’t have to wait long to see the new OG roster in action. The team will debut at PGL Wallachia Season 6, running from November 15th to 23rd, 2025, where they’ll face world-class opponents like Team Liquid, MOUZ, and Tundra Esports.

With a $1 million (~USD) prize pool on the line, this tournament will serve as the perfect proving ground for OG’s Southeast Asian resurgence.

A Legacy Reborn

OG remains one of the most successful organisations in Dota 2 history. The team famously won The International 2018 and 2019, defeating PSG.LGD and Team Liquid respectively, and became the only organisation to ever win back-to-back TI titles, earning a combined $26.8 million USD in prize money.

While recent years have seen mixed performances, OG’s legacy remains unmatched, and their move into SEA signals renewed ambition. The shift could also bring fresh competition to a region hungry for its first International title.

As OG begins this new journey with an all-Filipino roster, one thing is clear: the spirit of OG—bold, fearless, and full of heart—remains as strong as ever.

The post OG Esports Expands Into SEA With All Filipino Dota 2 Roster appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A Legendary Comeback for the OG Founder

After three years away from competitive Dota 2, Johan “N0tail” Sundstein has officially returned to OG’s active roster. The organisation announced the move on X, confirming that he will replace Rodrigo “Lelis” Santos, who departs after a short stint with the team.

OG would like to thank Rodrigo ‘Lelis’ Santos for his efforts during his brief tenure with the squad.
He will be replaced on the active roster by Johan ‘Notail’ Sundstein going forwards. pic.twitter.com/5tKIHk1oNm

— OG (@OGesports) October 14, 2025

N0tail’s return marks a major shift for OG, a team that has struggled to find consistent form in recent years. The Danish veteran, who co-founded the organisation and won back-to-back The International titles in 2018 and 2019, had rejoined the squad earlier this year in a coaching capacity. Now, he’s stepping back onto the battlefield himself.

From Coach to Competitor Once More

Since May 2025, N0tail has been working behind the scenes as a coach, guiding a young OG roster through a tough competitive season. Despite his presence, the team continued to falter in qualifiers, missing out on key events and cycling through several roster changes.

The shift back to an active player role comes as OG look to stabilise their lineup after a string of disappointing results. N0tail even stood in for the team during the PGL Wallachia Season 6 qualifiers, hinting at a potential return that has now been made official.

While the transition sees Lelis leave the roster, OG expressed gratitude for his contribution during his brief time with the squad. The organisation thanked him publicly for his “efforts during his brief tenure” before announcing N0tail as his replacement.

Rebuilding the OG Spirit

This move feels like a return to OG’s roots. N0tail has long been the heart and soul of the organisation, embodying its trademark mix of creativity, resilience, and camaraderie. His leadership and in-game understanding could be exactly what OG need to rediscover their identity and rebuild their competitive strength heading into 2026.

Still, fans shouldn’t expect to see OG back on the main stage immediately. The team won’t be competing in any remaining Tier 1 events for the rest of 2025, meaning the focus will be on rebuilding and preparing for the new season.

For a team once at the pinnacle of Dota 2 esports, this could be the spark that reignites their competitive flame.

OG’s Current Lineup

• Indji “Shad” Lub
• Igor “Stojkov” Stojkov
• Mihajlo “MikSa`” Jovanovic
• Tamir “daze” Tokpanov
• Johan “N0tail” Sundstein

A Step Toward the Future

Whether this is a short-term experiment or the beginning of another chapter in OG’s storied history, N0tail’s comeback has already stirred excitement across the Dota 2 community. With one of the game’s most decorated players returning to action, fans are eager to see if he can help OG reclaim their place among the elite.

For now, all eyes are on 2026, and on whether the OG magic can strike again.

The post N0tail Returns to OG’s Dota 2 Roster After Three Years Away appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev’s highly-anticipated return to top-level Counter-Strike has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. The CS:GO legend, now testing his skills in CS2 with BC.Game, made it all the way to the Grand Final of Exort The Proving Grounds Season 3. But despite flashes of brilliance, his debut tournament ended in a double-overtime defeat to BetBoom Team.

A mixed start with BC.Game

S1mple’s run with BC.Game had its ups and downs right from the opening match. He started slow against CYBERSHOKE, finishing at the bottom of the leaderboard, though the team managed a reverse-sweep to stay alive. From there, his form spiked and dipped: a huge 1.53 rating carried them past Spirit Academy, before a nightmare performance against Partizan saw BC.Game pushed to the edge.

When it mattered most, though, s1mple showed up. Wins over ARCRED, ENCE, and another clean sweep against Spirit Academy put him firmly back on top of the scoreboards. His quarterfinal against Spirit Academy was vintage s1mple, posting a massive 1.71 rating. That form continued into the semis, where BC.Game swept OG 2–0 to punch their ticket to the Grand Final.

Image via HLTV.org

Familiar faces in the Grand Final

The final itself carried extra weight. On the other side of the server was BetBoom, led by Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov, s1mple’s former NAVI teammate. Their recent history wasn’t pretty either, BC.Game had already been knocked down by BetBoom in the ESL Challenger League qualifiers earlier this month.

BetBoom came out swinging on Mirage, BC.Game’s pick, locking it down 13–4. S1mple still managed a respectable 94.5 ADR and a 1.12 rating, but it wasn’t enough to stop the bleed.

The real drama came on Nuke. Both teams refused to budge in regulation, trading rounds until the game pushed to double overtime. S1mple produced some classic highlight moments to keep BC.Game in the fight, but BetBoom finally closed it out 19–16, taking the series 2–0.

Image via HLTV.org

Numbers behind the story

Despite the loss, s1mple still put up the highest rating on his team across the final (1.17 with a +2 K-D). He also led the entire server in opening duels with a ridiculous 13–2 record, showing that even after a long break, his impact is still undeniable.

Across the whole event, s1mple finished with a 1.22 rating over 17 maps, more than any other player in the top seven of the tournament rankings. That workload, paired with HLTV’s new 3.0 ranking system, makes his numbers harder to judge, but it’s clear he was a driving force behind BC.Game’s Grand Final run.

The best individual on the day, though, was BetBoom’s Kirill “Magnojez” Rodnov, who dropped 53 kills and 32 deaths in the final with a monstrous 1.55 rating.

What’s next?

BC.Game won’t have long to dwell on the loss. The squad is still grinding through qualifiers for ESL Challenger League Season 50, where they’ll clash with OG on 26 August at 19:00 CEST. And with s1mple already making his mark in his very first event, fans will be eager to see whether the GOAT can settle in and return to his dominant best.

The post S1mple’s First Final with BC.Game Ends in Grand Final Heartbreak appeared first on Shane the Gamer.