watson on the commentary at the Dota 2 Esports World Cup 2026: “My head is killing me.”
In a team vlog from the 2026 Esports World Cup, Team Yandex players shared their thoughts on the tournament, the stage lighting, and their loss to OG on the second map during the group stage.
About the EWC
DM: The tournament has its pros and cons. Among the pros, for example, is that, first of all, the tournament is being held at a new venue. That’s always interesting—something new. Second, the internet is better at this venue—at least for playing Dota. And the computers here turned out to be much better than last year’s.
There are downsides too, but I don’t like to complain. Let’s focus on the positives. Okay, there is one downside, and it’s a really big one: the restroom is super far from the practice area. That’s just not normal. That’s the only thing.
[Question: “So, what do you think of the practice sessions?”]
Well, the practice sessions are just practice sessions. I’ve played in a computer club before. Basically, it’s just like a computer club. Well, it’s open-air—even better, with more fresh air. Otherwise, it’s stuffy. It’s okay, overall. Well, the restroom being far away is a downside.
About the lighting on stage
watson: My head is killing me. The light up there... It’s incredibly bright; it’s shining right in my face—I’m getting glare on my monitor. It’s really bright up there, and I’m sitting even closer to it than anyone else.
On the second map against OG in the group stage
Malady: In the last game, we overlooked the fact that they could just pick Drow against our TB, and they’d have an over-core matchup. Earth Spirit is just too overpowered. I think, overall, it was a decent day.
The 2026 Dota 2 Esports World Cup is taking place July 7–19 in Paris, with a $2 million prize pool. So far, eight teams have qualified for the playoffs, and another eight are competing in the survival stage.
