Is G2 Esports really entering Dota 2 Esports in 2024?

We are back to theorycrafting on why G2 Esports is not fielding a Dota 2 roster yet. Every few months a new leak appears seemingly hinting G2’s entry into Dota. At first it was an all European team, then potentially an South East Asian team, and back in August 2023 it was rumored G2 have reached a done deal in North America.

Yet, all of these rumors never materialized into something concrete.

The latest and honestly more serious rumor, arose with IG’s announcement of their new Dota 2 roster amidst the post-TI12 Roster Shuffle. Hidden within the background if the image, we see the familiar G2 eye and mask.

“Hidden” details in IG’s roster announcement

In the announcement posted on social networks, the background of the participant list featured imagery that some fans interpreted as a hint. It included the IG logo and, intriguingly, an image resembling an eye, closely matching the red eye found in the G2 logo. This visual clue has led to speculation about G2 Esports’ involvement with the Chinese Esports org’s Dota 2 division.

We let this idea ferment a little, yet no official announcement or comment has come from either side about a potential partnership just yet.

Should G2 Esports acquire IG’s Dota 2 team, it would mark a significant entry into a new esports domain. The IG roster, comprising seasoned players with impressive track records, would position G2 as a strong contender in the Dota 2 scene. This includes former LGD Gaming players NothingToSay and xNova, who have proven themselves in major tournaments, including The International.

The combination of these players’ skills and G2 Esports’ resources could create a formidable team in the upcoming Dota 2 season.

G2 Esports has a significant presence in various Esports genres, notably League of Legends and Counter-Strike 2. Although their recent performances in these games have not been particularly outstanding, the organization has a history of achieving notable successes, such as winning the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 in CS2 and securing top positions in the LEC circuit.

G2’s long dominance in the two esports titles is not only a testament to how they nurture great teams, but also reassures that the Dota 2 team they lead next season are in good hands. Moreover, with many old teams are exiting the Dota 2 scene, having G2 around might bring even more orgs to join the scene.

IG’s revamped Dota 2 roster

IG, in preparation for the upcoming Dota season, has overhauled their team. They have introduced high-profile players like Cheng “NothingToSay” Jin Xiang from LGD Gaming and Du “Monet” Peng from Team Aster. These players are supported by experienced teammates Ye “BoBoKa” Zhibiao, Thiay “JT-” Jun Wen and Yap “xNova” Jian Wei. Alongside, the coaches, consisting of Su “super” Peng and Gao “@dogf1ghts” Tianpeng, remain from the previous lineup.

At this stage, we might have to wait until after ESL One Kuala Lumpur for a confirmation or denial of the rumor. If there is a re-branding or partnership deal it may arrive during the winter holiday break.