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Gaimin Gladiators Withdraws From The International 2025
In a shocking announcement for the Dota 2 world, Gaimin Gladiators has decided to drop out of The International 2025. Neither the team nor it's players will be making an appearance at arguably the biggest Dota 2 event of the year.
Due to this unprecedented event, Valve is forced to find a replacement team, while also removing Gaimin Gladiators from The International fantasy prediction.
No fourth International for Gaimin Gladiators
For the last three years, Gaimin Gladiators has emerged as a major contender at The International. While their debut appearance wasn't the best, they took second place in both 2023 and 2024.
The team also shined in the other biggest stage. Gaimin won Riyadh Masters in 2024 and made USD $1,200,000 from their fourth place finish in 2023. All in all, the team was riding high the last two years.
But 2025 has been an inconsistent year for the team.
Gaimin Gladiators was still dominating some tournaments, with a second place at PGL Wallachia 5 and Blast Slam II. However, in other events they fumbled hard. In their last tournament, Fissure Universe episode 6, they had the fastest loss, with a 13-minute GG against Falcons. They also finished the group stage with a 2-6 score, looking overwhelmed throughout the event.
It's a rough time, but it's unclear whether Gaimin's uneven recent performance is related to their withdrawal, or something else is happening behind the scenes.
The Founder of Gaimin Gladiators shared on X that discord between the organization and the players led them to their current decision.
"I want to share that Gaimin Gladiators won’t be competing at TI this year. Some internal matters between the players and the organization made it impossible for us to move forward with a roster. For now, I can’t go into more detail as there are legal considerations involved, but I’ll share more when I’m able to."
Valve also released a tweet, informing the public that they did offer the players a chance to represent themselves, but due to an unknown clause, the players cannot compete without the organization's consent.
In the end, it's unfortunate news. Seeing a team work hard to qualify but lose their chance on the big stage is devastating. In the meantime, it'll be interesting to see which team will replace Gaimin Gladiatos, with OG being the most likely due to their performance in the Qualifiers.
READ MORE: FISSURE Universe Episode 6: Group Stage Wrap-Up and Playoff Preview
Featured Image Source: Gaimin Gladiators