Ninjas in Pyjamas Shuts Down Dota 2 Roster
Ninjas in Pyjamas have shut down their Dota 2 roster citing lack of sustainability in the current competitive climate in Europe and the game.
NiP Bids Dota Farewell, For Now
Long-considered a household name in the Dota 2 esports scene, Ninjas in Pyjamas has officially announced the disbandment of their roster. The team, which has experienced a rough patch during the past months, introduced numerous changes to its line-up following the retirement of captain Peter “ppd” Dager who was long seen as the mastermind behind the team’s successes.
NiP, as the organization is known for short, spent months looking for a viable lineup to try and dominate the higher tiers of competitive Dota 2 once again to no avail. The search took it to reserves such as Adrian Kryeziu known as “Era” in gaming circles and Akbar “SoNNeikO” Butaev.
Dota 2’s Unstable Ecosystem
The roster didn’t quite click and NiP was forced to drop SoNNeikO and seek help from Team Spirit’s Mikhail “Misha” Agatov. Ninjas in Pyjamas didn’t fare too badly in the following games securing several good showings during the Dota Summit 13’s online format and at the BTS Pro Series.
With no considerable results and money coming in, though, the organization must have thought that until competitive Dota 2 is back in gear, it would be wiser for the team to shut down. NiP COO Jonas Gundersen has been able to confirm this, citing high upkeep costs for a moderate return.
Commenting on these developments, Gundersen had this to say: “With the indefinite postponement of the DPC and The International, we find ourselves on an increasingly unclear path to financial stability within the game.”
Heavily Competitive European Region
He explained that another problem was the heavily-competitive European region where most of the talent was gathering while revenues were dwindling. Competing for the biggest trophies, Gundersen explained, is what NiP is out there to do, but the road through Europe is not one that the organization can afford to walk presently, he added.
Yet, it’s not all bad and Gundersen assures that better times are coming. NiP will make their return to Dota 2 at the highest level, he explained, once the right opportunity presents itself.
All players currently signed under the NiP banner will be moved to free agency and able to sign contracts with other teams. Meanwhile, Valve has confirmed that the 2021 Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) will begin on January 28, but no further details have been specified.
