The Evil Geniuses Dota 2 team may no longer exist, but its former members have confirmed that, with the exception of one player, they intend to remain a unit and participate in the North American qualifiers for the 2023 Dota Pro Circuit.
Fly stated that he still has command of the North American Division I slot despite EG’s planned relocation to South America, and that the team’s roster will look largely the same as before. This means that Arteezy, Abed, Cr1t, and Fly will continue to play under BuLba’s tutelage. Nightfall is the only player to leave the team, and he has joined BetBoom’s new, formidable roster in Eastern Europe after spending a year in North America.
Fly simultaneously revealed the returning players and BuLba and teased the arrival of some major news. Fans are already demanding the return of Universe or IceIceIce, the two players who are widely speculated to replace Nightfall in the offlane next season.
Even though they have a roster that is as close to perfect as you can get in terms of a top-tier lineup and a winning history, they don’t exactly jump off the page as the obvious early favourite to win North America in light of recent roster shifts and the exodus of star players from the region. The choice of the team’s starting name, however, is sure to attract attention due to its possible ties to an ongoing financial scandal.
The new name for the stack, Alameda 2018, may indicate a connection to a business started by Samuel Bankman-Fried, the man at the centre of the massive scandal surrounding FTX’s bankruptcy. Despite the unpleasant association, it appears that Fly and his crew are shooting for the “high returns with no risk” message that Alameda promised in a pitch to investors in 2018.
Another, more likely interpretation, involves the “Alameda House” training facility that the EG Dota division used for years before it was shut down in May 2019 when the organisation relocated to Seattle. As a result, Arteezy, Cr1t, Fly, and BuLba would have a more personal connection to the name, as they would have used it for several years, and the name would sound more like it was chosen by the Quincy Crew.
Alameda 2018 is a name to keep an eye on as the former EG lineup (plus one) begins preparations for The International 12. This could have either of two possible meanings, or both could be true.