Welcome to the Battle Report, your weekly digest of the most significant developments in the Dota 2 competitive scene. This week brings seismic roster shakeups from championship-caliber organizations, milestone achievements from dedicated community members, and the kind of coaching changes that reshape tournament predictions. From Team Spirit's stunning coaching departure to Heroic's complete midlane overhaul, these stories directly impact the competitive landscape heading into major tournament season.

Team Spirit Parts Ways with Legendary Coach Silent

After five years of unparalleled success, Team Spirit have moved Airat "Silent" Gaziev to their inactive roster, marking the end of one of Dota 2's most successful player-coach partnerships. Silent's departure closes a chapter that includes two The International championships (2021 and 2023), back-to-back Esports World Cup victories (2023 and 2025), and consistent elite placements across major tournaments.

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Silent joined Team Spirit in mid-2021 and immediately guided a young, unproven roster to their first Aegis of Champions. His coaching philosophy emphasized adaptability and player development, successfully navigating multiple roster iterations while maintaining championship-level results. When Denis "Larl" Sigitov replaced Alexander "TORONTOTOKYO" Khertek in 2022, Silent seamlessly integrated the new midlaner into the team's systems. The same adaptive approach worked again in 2024 when Aleksandr "rue" Filin stepped in for Miroslaw "Mira" Kolpakov.

The organization's statement praised Silent as "a truly legendary coach" whose "wise guidance, effective ideas and vibrant leadership have led us to the very top of the Dota 2 pro scene." While Team Spirit emphasized "this is not goodbye," the timing creates uncertainty heading into the competitive season. The departure coincides with Larl's six-week hiatus from competitive play for personal reasons, meaning Team Spirit will field a dramatically different lineup for upcoming tournaments with substitute Marat "Mirele" Gazetdinov filling the midlane role.

Industry analysts widely regard Silent as one of competitive Dota 2's most effective coaches, with legendary players like Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk and Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov reaching their peak performances under his leadership. His departure raises immediate questions about Team Spirit's strategic direction and preparation for major tournaments, especially with the team already managing roster adjustments.

Dmitrii "Korb3n" Belov Named Team Spirit Coach

BLAST Slam 6's official roster listings revealed Dmitrii "Korb3n" Belov as Team Spirit's new coach, filling the void left by Silent's departure. However, the appointment comes with significant caveats that complicate the narrative around Team Spirit's coaching situation.

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According to Korb3n himself, he currently serves as coach "only on paper," with expectations that Silent will eventually return to the active roster. This arrangement suggests Team Spirit views Silent's departure as temporary rather than permanent, though no timeline has been provided for his potential return. The interim coaching structure allows Team Spirit to compete in sanctioned tournaments while presumably giving Silent time away from the demanding professional circuit.

The community response has been cautiously optimistic. Many analysts believe the temporary arrangement provides Team Spirit an opportunity to reset their approach while allowing Silent the vacation time he reportedly hasn't taken in years. Whether this proves to be a productive reset period or signals deeper organizational changes remains unclear as tournament season approaches.

Heroic Executes Complete Midlane Overhaul

Heroic have announced sweeping roster changes that fundamentally reshape their competitive identity, starting with the departure of Cedric "Davailama" after just four months with the organization. Despite securing an international title during his brief tenure, recent performance struggles prompted Heroic to make the difficult decision to move Davailama off the active roster.

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The changes don't stop with Davailama's exit. Sebastian "Wisper" Hiila is transitioning from midlane back to his original offlane position, with the organization joking that "Wisper's part time job as a midlaner is done after winning an international title." This role swap represents Heroic's commitment to finding Wisper's optimal position within the team structure.

Filling the vacated midlane slot is TaiLung (nicknamed "Osito"), a 16-year-old Peruvian prospect who has already reached EU Top 28 despite playing with 180 ping from Peru to Fortaleza. Heroic's announcement emphasized their excitement about developing young talent, stating they're "happy to support your pro career and reach the top of the world together."

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The rapid roster turnover after an international title win signals Heroic's aggressive approach to building a championship-caliber roster. Rather than settling for modest success, the organization is betting on youth and potential to elevate their ceiling. TaiLung's age and raw mechanical skill represent exactly the kind of high-risk, high-reward investment that can either propel a team to elite status or create growing pains throughout a competitive season.

AndreyIMMERSION Reaches Level 25 on New Hero Largo

Now famous Dota 2 player AndreyIMMERSION has achieved level 25 on Largo, the game's newest hero addition. His dedication to mastering the character over 427 matches provides early insights into Largo's competitive potential and optimal item builds.

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AndreyIMMERSION's statistics reveal interesting patterns about Largo's role in the current meta. With a 48.95% win rate across 427 matches, Largo appears to be a balanced addition without game-breaking strength or crippling weakness. The hero's most common position as a safe lane support with an average match duration of 43:43 suggests Largo functions best in longer, more strategic games rather than aggressive early-game compositions.

His item progression favors sustainability and utility over damage output, with Bracer, Arcane Boots, Gem of True Sight, Glimmer Cape, and Blade Mail appearing as core choices. The emphasis on detection items (Gem) and defensive tools (Glimmer Cape) indicates Largo's value lies in vision control and protecting cores rather than directly contributing to kills. The average economy statistics of 295 GPM (gold per minute) and 464 XPM (experience per minute) further confirm Largo's position 5 support identity.

The 2.52 KDA ratio (2.55 kills, 7.26 deaths, 15.71 assists per game) reinforces Largo's support identity, with assist numbers significantly outweighing kills. This playstyle aligns with traditional position 5 support responsibilities in professional Dota 2. As professional teams continue experimenting with Largo in competitive matches, AndreyIMMERSION's extensive match data offers a foundation for understanding optimal strategies and itemization paths.

Workshop Artist Celebrates 10 Years Creating Dota 2 Sets

A dedicated Workshop artist has reached a significant milestone, marking 10 years of creating cosmetic sets for Dota 2. The creator shared their gratitude on Reddit, thanking Valve and the community for supporting their work throughout the past decade.

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The community response highlighted the lasting impact of quality Workshop content on the Dota 2 experience. Multiple users commented about favorite sets created by this artist over the years, demonstrating how cosmetic content contributes to player attachment and game longevity. Workshop artists occupy a unique space in the Dota 2 ecosystem, creating content that personalizes the player experience while generating revenue through in-game purchases.

The 10-year commitment from individual creators speaks to both the strength of Valve's Workshop integration and the ongoing demand for high-quality cosmetic content from the player base.

Make Your Predictions Count

The competitive landscape is shifting rapidly with these roster changes and coaching transitions. Team Spirit's uncertain coaching situation, Heroic's midlane gamble on teenage talent, and ongoing hero balance adjustments create perfect conditions for upsets and unexpected results. Head over to our Pick'ems lobby to lock in your predictions for upcoming matches. Our expert analysis continues tracking these developments to help you stay ahead of the curve with informed tournament predictions.

TL;DR

• Team Spirit move legendary coach Silent to inactive roster after five years and two TI championships
• Dmitrii "Korb3n" Belov appointed interim Team Spirit coach, though Silent expected to return
• Heroic replace Davailama with 16-year-old Peruvian prospect TaiLung while moving Wisper back to offlane
• AndreyIMMERSION reaches level 25 on new hero Largo after 427 matches with 48.95% win rate
• Workshop artist celebrates 10 years creating cosmetic sets for Dota 2 community