Copy on the 2026 Dota 2 Esports World Cup: “Right now, we’re completely focused on this tournament.”
Rune Eaters midlaner Philipp “Copy” Bühler spoke about the team’s form in an interview following their victory over Poor Rangers in the group stage of the 2026 Esports World Cup.
On what advancing from the group stage means for the team
Of course, it feels good. You feel like you’re getting stronger. I think we had a decent chance against all the teams in our group. Right now, this tournament is the most important one for us because we obviously weren’t able to qualify for The International. So now we’re completely focused on this championship—on our gameplay and everything related to it.
On what the team has improved since the group stage
I think a lot depends on the situation after the laning phase—roughly from the 10th to the 20th minute. I think that’s the most important part of the game right now. That’s where the difference between truly good teams and average ones is most evident. That’s why we pay close attention to how top teams move around the map; we try to adopt some of their patterns and understand what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. I think we’re continuing to get better every day. After every scrimmage and every official match, we feel like we’re drawing the right conclusions that help us improve.
[But can you elaborate on what exactly is most important right now? Heroes that work well together, map awareness, or some other factors?]
It’s a combination of many things. But right now, most of our strategy revolves around groups. For example, if you want to push a lane, you need to make sure the carry has support behind him so he can advance safely. You need to place vision in front of him. Those wards on the lanes, in my opinion, are quite important. A lot also depends on the use of portals. After the ancient creeps were removed, people started using them less, but I believe they’re still very important to the game. In addition, the Tormentor and Roshan—you always need to be prepared for them and try not to give them up. For example, against Team Falcons, we lost Roshan twice in a row at the 16-minute mark, and now we’re also trying to work harder on that aspect.
On which side he prefers to play
To be honest, I like the Dark side a little more because it’s better suited for mid-lane matchups. But, in my opinion, the Light side is a bit easier to play on the map. Essentially, the only real advantage of the Dark side is Roshan from the 15th to the 20th minute. Yes, in my opinion, that’s the main advantage.
Yesterday, Rune Eaters defeated Poor Rangers 2-0 and secured third place in Group A of the 2026 Dota 2 Esports World Cup. As a result, the team advances to the knockout stage, where they will compete for a spot in the playoffs.
Photo by Sebastian Pandelache, SC PGL Esports S.R.L.
