The Dota 2 esports scene continues to delight fans with news of roster changes and the return of well-known players.
K1 Returns with Team Gato
Renowned Peruvian esports player Héctor "K1" Rodríguez is making his comeback to the professional stage with a new team, Team Gato. Alongside K1, the roster includes Veniamin "xn丶e" Smirnov, CodeX, Rodrigo "Lelis" Santos, and Leonardo "Panda" Hernández.
The team is set to compete in the second open qualifiers for the FISSURE PLAYGROUND Belgrade 2025 for the Americas, taking place on 14–15 December. These qualifiers will award two slots for the closed stage of the tournament.
Previously a member of Heroic, K1 left the team following The International 2024 to take a career break. His return has been met with enthusiasm from fans, especially given the promising lineup of Team Gato, poised for new challenges.
MOUZ Roster Shake-Up
Meanwhile, the Western European organisation MOUZ has unveiled a refreshed roster for the online tournament European Pro League Season 22. The team has brought in four new players: Lasha "Nande" Narsia, Tobias "Tobi" Buchner, Thiago "Thiolicor" de Oliveira Cordeiro, and Tal "Fly" Aizik.
The updated roster is as follows:
- Lasha "Nande" Narsia (Czech Republic);
- Ondřej "Supream^" Štarha (Czech Republic);
- Tobias "Tobi" Buchner (Austria);
- Thiago "Thiolicor" de Oliveira Cordeiro (Brazil);
- Tal "Fly" Aizik (Israel).
Although MOUZ has not made an official announcement, the roster updates were revealed on the tournament's Liquipedia page. Departing players include Stefan "Ulnit" Gavrila, Nikko "Force" Bilocura, and Ravdan "NARMAN" Narmandakh.
Earlier this year, MOUZ benched their position-five support Jonathan "Bengan" Hansson. At the BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024 in Serbia, Russian player Alexander "Immersion" Khmelevskoy stood in for the team, which finished in 9th–10th place.