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Yakult Brothers Face Game Breaking Bug on TI Qualifiers
The long-running joke that Dota 2 is always in beta might seem harmless most days, but sometimes it hits a little too close to reality. In a recent incident during the Chinese Qualifiers for The International 2025, the Yakult Brothers found themselves on the losing end of a known but unresolved bug — one that made Queen of Pain essentially “immortal.”
This strange occurrence happened during their Upper Bracket Finals match against Xtreme Gaming. The bug triggered after Emo, playing Queen of Pain, used her ultimate and ended up killing himself due to a quirky interaction between the Masochist facet and Aeon Disk. Oddly, the kill credit was given to Bane, a hero who did not appear to directly interact with QoP during that moment.
Yakult Brothers and the Mighty Bug
The clash between Yakult Brothers and Xtreme Gaming was shaping up to be a tightly contested series. However, the game's integrity was thrown into question after the bug kicked in. As shown in the video above, Queen of Pain’s ultimate targeted a Brewmaster who had an Aeon Disk equipped. Unexpectedly, QoP died on impact — a result that made little mechanical sense.
Initially, neither the casters nor the audience caught the oddity. But about a minute later, when QoP respawned, the consequences of the bug became obvious: Queen of Pain was bugged and could no longer be killed. The players paused the game immediately after noticing this, and the match came to a screeching halt.
According to the broadcast and reports, the game was then remade. Fortunately for Yakult Brothers, the ruling didn’t cause them to forfeit. However, they went on to lose the remade second map. This loss pushed the series to a third and decisive map in what was originally a best-of-three series — an extra game that arguably wouldn't have happened if not for the bug.
Almost as if destiny had intervened, that third map played heavily in Xtreme Gaming’s favor. They took full advantage of the situation and defeated Yakult Brothers 2-1, becoming the first team to qualify for the Grand Finals of the Chinese regional qualifiers for The International 2025.
Ongoing Concerns and Valve’s Silence
While bugs are not uncommon in complex games like Dota 2, having one rear its head during qualifiers for the year’s biggest event is especially damaging. This particular interaction — that makes heroes immortal — has been known for some time. Despite discussions in the community and posts on platforms like Reddit, Valve has not yet issued a fix.
The situation highlights broader frustrations. As fun as memes about “beta Dota” are, the consequences can be very real, especially in the high-stakes environment of TI qualifiers. This isn’t just about a minor inconvenience — it’s about preserving competitive integrity. Alongside the 1 HP immortality bug, other problems like the in-game portrait bug are also drawing attention, especially now that they are affecting games on the biggest stage.
Looking Ahead: More TI 2025 Action Incoming
As we approach the climax of the Chinese regional qualifiers, the pressure continues to mount. The Grand Finals are just hours away, and fans around the world are eager to see who will claim the prestigious spot at The International 2025.
Following the conclusion of the Chinese and North American qualifiers, Southeast Asia and Western Europe will take the stage from June 13th to June 17th. With Western Europe home to some of the most competitive Tier 2 teams, this final phase of qualifiers promises fireworks.
We’ll be covering every twist and turn of The International 2025 Qualifiers and the Esports World Cup here at Strafe. Be sure to visit our news page for real-time updates, match reports, and in-depth coverage of all things Dota 2!
Featured image Source: Twitter (@wykrhm)