One of the most iconic figureheads in the widely popular MOBA, Dota 2, is none other than Dendi. He was a part of Na’Vi, first winners of The International, and one of the most fearsome teams in the early years of Dota 2. After nearly 8 years of playing Dota 2 with the Ukrainian team, Dendi has decided to step down from being an active player.
One of the stars in the popular Dota 2 documentary, Free to Play, Dendi has been one of the most influential players in the entire scene. With his electrifying mid plays and goofy personality, he is a player loved by many. With such a long time with his team, many never thought that he would ever leave his team, let alone quit the game all together. However, back in June, the team failed to qualify for the main qualifiers for The International 2018. As as result, Dendi’s future with Na’Vi and Dota in general seemed to be up in the air. Although Dendi may be out of his prime, he thinks that “age is bullshit”. While he still loves and enjoys Dota, especially since he brought joy to so many players, the recent roster change from Na’Vi revealed that Dendi will be moving to an inactive role.
While the details on whether or not he will play for another team, continue to play for Na’Vi, or retire altogether are still unknown, Dendi does seem to still be affiliated with Na’Vi for the time being. The former International champion, and long time Dota veteran, had this to say over Twitter regarding the change:
Thank you for the 8 years of support and trust. I enjoyed every minute and wish future teams the best of luck!
— Danil Ishutin (@DendiBoss) September 1, 2018
Regardless of what Dendi decides to do next, whether it involve Dota or not, he has lead an exciting and fulfilling career, followed by adoration from hundreds of thousands of players across the world.