The Dota 2 esports world is gearing up for one of the most significant changes in its history. Player Abdimalik "Malik" Sailau has announced the end of his collaboration with Team Spirit and the start of his search for a new team, while the professional community is abuzz with discussions about a massive upcoming roster shuffle.
Malik Ends His Journey with Team Spirit
On his social media, Malik bid farewell to Team Spirit, expressing gratitude to the team and its fans for their support:
"Hello everyone. My journey with Spirit has come to an end. It was a lot of fun and a pleasure working with them, and I wish them all the best! Big thanks to the Spirit fans who welcomed me warmly and supported me. My plans remain unchanged: I will continue playing Dota and looking at offers — LFT, so to speak."
Malik confirmed that his priority remains his professional career, and he is actively exploring opportunities with other organisations.
Anticipating the Biggest Roster Shuffle
The Dota 2 community is already abuzz with speculation about the impending roster changes. Konstantin Doroshyonok, the creator of the KD ALL IN YouTube channel, stated that this shuffle could be unprecedented:
"After the New Year, we’re expecting the biggest shuffle in history, even bigger than the one after The International."
This view was echoed by streamer, analyst, and professional player Andrey "Afoninje" Afonin, who shared his thoughts during a Twitch stream:
"The shuffles coming up — if only you knew. They’ll be even bigger than the last ones after the New Year. It’s going to be insane. There are qualifiers coming in mid-January, and everyone’s shuffling for them."
Afonin highlighted that the changes are driven by the need for teams to adapt ahead of the January 2025 qualifiers.