Inmate on the Dota 2 update ahead of The International 2026: “I think it’s too late to release patches now.”

If you’re in it for the long haul, it’s very beneficial. If you have a team on par with Team Spirit, you win; if not, you still win. It’s always a win-win situation because you’re either developing a player yourself, selling him, or integrating him into your roster. There are no downsides. It’s important to understand that not all 20 academy players will become world-class players. You’d have to be very, very lucky for that to happen, and on average, only 1–2 players will actually develop into strong Dota 2 players. It’s also important to carefully select the staff who will train the young players and teach them how to play Dota 2.

I think it’s too late to release patches now. It would be cool from a spectator’s perspective, but it would be absolutely terrible for the players. “DreamLeague,” for example, showed that you can roll out an update right before the playoffs and everyone will be on equal footing. As a former pro player and someone who watches Dota 2 constantly, I’d like them to spend the two weeks before the tournament getting used to the food, the kitchen, the schedule, and training at the venue. That’s how it was in 2018, when all the teams arrived in Canada two months early and just stayed there training.

On the one hand, it’s obvious that teams will prepare more thoroughly for them. On the other hand, there’s a Dota superstition that you shouldn’t win a tournament before The International, and they did win it. That’s something to keep in mind, too, because some Dota players are superstitious, and their superstitions can backfire on them. The story itself is obviously just a coincidence, but the statistics also show that no team has ever won two tournaments in a row. At the same time, let’s not forget that everyone will be preparing for them.

Also, let’s not forget that a micro-patch might be released any day now. Such patches often “cut down” the favorites. It’s a proven pattern: a team dominates for a year, and their heroes get constantly nerfed, forcing them to play aggressively across the board. It’s possible that they won at just the right time and should finish in at least the top 4. But the International is the International, and all sorts of “cinematic moments” can happen there, as was the case with Team Spirit and Nouns.