Nightfall: “Tilt is the body’s normal reaction to unpleasant events in the game.”

The current trend in Dota is that you need a very good player in every position who fulfills their 20%. But, let’s say, there used to be situations in Dota where a single player could step in and have a massive impact on the game. There was that era of Miracle-, RAMZES666, and No[o]ne. And it happened like this: I think that even at times, their team might not have had the strongest players, but one person somehow carried them through. And back then in Dota, there were also moments when one player was playing really well, while his team was performing slightly worse. There might have been a better player, but he didn’t become a champion because, overall, the opposing team was simply stronger.

The regional system definitely makes a lot of sense for the game to develop in all regions and for greater competition to emerge in the future. The strongest region will get more slots and more opportunities. At The International, there are often five or six European teams and one or two South American teams—that’s to be expected, but we shouldn’t take away the weaker regions’ chance to qualify. The essence of the system is striking a balance: giving opportunities to weaker regions while ensuring the strongest ones remain involved.

If a person is a very good player but his moral values and worldview aren’t exactly sound, that doesn’t negate his skills as a player, nor should it overshadow them. For example, Dennis Rodman, despite his controversial lifestyle, remains one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Tilt is a normal physical reaction to unpleasant events during a game. What matters is how a person controls it. A professional must be able to let go of the situation and continue playing without falling into a slump. If a player cannot recover and perform at their usual level, that is a weakness.