Virtus.pro Gear Up for the New Season

The organisation Virtus.pro is nearing completion of its new Dota 2 roster. According to information shared via the official Telegram channel of Night Pulse, their support player Dmitriy "JANTER" Nikulin is set to sign a contract with Virtus.pro, replacing the team’s former captain, Artyom "Fng" Barshak.

“Today, our organisation parts ways with Dmitriy. In a few days, he is expected to sign a contract with Virtus.pro,” stated Night Pulse.

Although Virtus.pro has yet to make an official announcement, it is anticipated that JANTER will fill the position of hard support. The updated roster is as follows:

• Ilya "Kiritych~" Ulyanov
• Ilya "squad1x" Kuvaldin
• Yevgeny "Noticed" Ignatenko
• Vladislav "Antares" Kertman
• Dmitriy "JANTER" Nikulin

Artyom "Fng" Barshak: Searching for a Path Forward

Former Virtus.pro captain Fng remains inactive within the organisation, where he competed from March 2023 to July 2024. During a livestream, Artyom candidly shared his thoughts on his future in esports.

“I want to find a format that works for me in Dota. Just mindlessly grinding for rank can be fun, but it requires things I dislike the most about the game: playing the meta, picking the 'right' heroes. It’s just not something I want to do.”

Barshak acknowledged the financial challenges of stepping away from professional play altogether and expressed doubts about transitioning to streaming other games:

“I’ve been streaming World of Warcraft—50 viewers on the stream. I’m grateful to those who watch, but numbers do matter. You have to do something to make those numbers grow.”

Despite the uncertainty, Artyom clarified that he has not ruled out a return to professional gaming:

“I’m not ready to say I won’t play at all.”

A New Chapter for Virtus.pro

With JANTER joining the roster, Virtus.pro is entering a new phase in its journey. The addition of fresh talent and a revamped lineup signals their intent to perform strongly in the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, Fng’s future remains in flux, and his honest reflections highlight the challenges even seasoned players face when navigating their careers in the ever-evolving world of esports.