Nightfall claims to still continue Dota 2 Smurfing post ban wave

The conversations surrounding the Dota 2 ban on smurf accounts, where high-skilled players create alternative accounts to play at a lower MMR anonymously is still a heavy debate. Yet, it has taken a new turn with Egor “Nightfall” Grigorenko’s recent reveal.

Nightfall’s Dota 2 smurfing activity after ban wave

Despite Valve’s stringent measures against Dota 2 smurfing with consecutive ban waves since December last year, Nightfall, a high-profile carry player from the BetBoom Team, has openly admitted to continuing his practice on undisclosed smurf accounts.

This statement was made during an interview at the BetBoom Dacha Winter 2024 event, shedding light on his solution to using smurf accounts for practice. The interview by Cybersport.ru, however, has been deleted.

Why smurf in Dota 2?

Nightfall shared two reasons for preferring Dota 2 smurf accounts over his primary one. Firstly, he finds playing on his anonymous smurf account leaves less emotional impact after a loss than playing on his main account. According to him, playing on a smurf account reduces the frustration that comes from team dynamics or losing matches, as the outcome doesn’t affect his primary account’s standing.

This makes playing pub games a more relaxed gaming experience than the actual MMR grind. Secondly, and more crucially from a professional standpoint, smurf accounts enable him to practice and improve on heroes with which he is less proficient without the scrutiny of his allies and opponents. This practice allows for focused skill development, while still having a competitive bracket without the pressure of losing MMR.

Valve’s stance on Dota 2 smurfing

To recap, Valve’s crackdown on smurfing, particularly highlighted by the ban wave during Frostivus 2023, reflects the company’s commitment to fostering an enjoyable Dota 2 experience. The initiative aims to address various forms of misconduct, including toxic behavior, the utilization of third-party applications, Overplus, and the use of multiple smurf accounts.

These policies apply equally, even to professional Dota 2 players, indicating Valve’s zero-tolerance stance on practices that could undermine the integrity of Dota 2.

The debate over what constitutes smurfing

From another pro’s standpoint, Aleksandr “TORONTOTOKYO” Khertek of BetBoom Team, defined Dota 2 smurfing as playing significantly below one’s skill level. He argued that professionals maintaining alternative accounts at similar ranks to their main ones should not receive a ban penalty too.

As such, this might actually be a good exception for Valve to consider, since it would resolve Nightfall’s reasons to use a smurf account himself.

Benefits of Valve’s Smurf Account Bans

Interestingly, the rigorous enforcement against Dota 2 smurf accounts has led to an unprecedented level of competition within Dota 2’s Immortal-rank brackets. With professionals constrained to their main accounts, matches featuring players with an MMR of 12,000 or above have become more active, offering us a chance to witness games of the highest caliber.

Anyways, despite Nightfall’s candidness about his use of smurf accounts, this could attract scrutiny from Valve, especially given the history of his smurf account in the January 2024 ban wave alongside other notable pro players. His continued smurfing, as tracked by Dota2ProTracker, hasn’t gone unnoticed, with prominent community figures like Janne “Gorgc” Stefanovski voicing criticism.