What Does HEROIC’s Decision to Pull Out of the Dota 2 Scene Actually Mean

HEROIC became the latest Esports organisation to announce its departure from one of the biggest titles. The organisation will no longer compete in Dota 2, and the Esports World Cup 2026 has also removed it from its partner program.

We at Nostrabet believe this is a huge blow to the organisation, and it will have a big impact on the future. But how big are we actually talking about? Well, I will dive deep into everything and see the impact of the decisions and everything else around them.

HEROIC Leaving Dota 2- What Happened?

People who are following the Dota 2 scene know that HEROIC was one of the more interesting organisations there. Over the years, the club has only had two big trophies – 1st place at the PGL Wallachia Season 2 and the FISSURE Universe: Episode 7. While these victories were impressive, overall, HEROIC was bouncing back and forth between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 scenes.

Due to recent lack of success, however, the club made a crucial decision to leave the professional Dota 2 scene. The last big tournament that HEROIC took part in was PGL Wallachia Season 8, and it was among the first to exit. The same happened a month before that during the PGL Wallachia Season 7.

But is the lack of results the only reason for its decision? Well, a deeper dive into the situation shows something else.

The Financial Side of Things

Let’s face it, Dota 2 is one of the biggest esports in the world, and professional players make a lot of money. In fact, if we analyse the top esports earners, we’ll see the first 22 (!) positions all belong to Dota 2 players. Johan “n0tail” Sundstein is leading with $7.18M, and that’s just from prize money.

I also have to address the elephant in the room here and talk about salaries because this is one of the biggest expenses for all esports organisations. There was a recent live stream on Twitch, where David “Parker” Nicho Flores openly talked about how much money he and his teammates were making while playing at HEROIC. According to him, he was earning close to $15,000 per month from his salary alone. His teammates, on the other hand, earned between $9k and $12k.

What was even more shocking was that HEROIC paid a lot of money even for some of their upcoming talents. Santiago “TaiLung” Aguero Gustavo, for example, was earning up to $8k a month. While this sounds awesome for the players, the esports organisation has to make it work because it is a lot of money.

Speaking of the financial side of esports and Dota 2 specifically, I also have to mention the prize pools. Yes, Dota 2 is famous for having some of the highest prize pools in esports. Most events nowadays offer over $1M in rewards, but that amount does NOT go directly to the organisation. Instead, it is split between players, the coach, and the club.

When you combine the prize pool split, high salaries and lack of results, it’s easy to see why HEROIC decided to pull the plug.

Additional Expenses & Dota 2 Concerns

Just when you thought that salaries were the only expense, think again. Organisations like HEROIC also have to ensure players have the necessary facilities to practice. It also has to pay for accommodation, boot camps, food, and even plane tickets. Yes, there are instances where a given tournament’s organiser helps, but the esports organisations are mostly on their own here.

Considering all of this information, it’s easy to see why many of the esports organisations have financial issues. I am definitely not their accountant, but it’s almost certain that many of the smaller organisations are not profiting from their Dota 2 teams. That’s one of the reasons why there have been several organisations that have left the game in recent years.

There have been many debates regarding the salaries of Dota 2 players before, but there is no solution yet. Many Dota 2 experts believe that some professional players are earning too much for what they do. The bad news is that no one likes a salary cut, so finding a solution won’t be easy.

Dota 2 Players & Their Winnings

I briefly mentioned the fact that the top Dota 2 players are the highest earners in esports, at least in terms of prize pool. Well, the reward from tournaments is just one of the sources of income these people have.

Considering that the Norwegian organisation (HEROIC) was spending close to $50K per month on salaries, we can only imagine what goes on behind the scenes in some of the more prominent organisations. Clubs like Team Spirit, Team Liquid, and Tundra Esports probably spend almost double that, if not more.

Outside of salaries and tournament prize pools, Dota 2 players also make a lot of money via live streaming. People like Arteezy often gather north of 20,000 people watching them. Needless to say, many of them donate and subscribe to the players’ channels, and this is an additional revenue source for them.

HEROIC & The Esports World Cup 2026

The Esports World Cup 2026 is going to be the highlight of the year for all games, including Dota 2. The International lost some of its glamour following the prize pool reduction, so most teams are eagerly waiting for the EWC.

Sadly, HEROIC won’t be one of the organisations we’ll see there (most likely). After their decision to exit Dota 2, the Esports World Cup 2026 organisers removed it from the partner program. Based on the reports, HEROIC no longer meets the participation requirements.

It’s safe to say that this decision came as a shock to the esports organisation. In fact, HEROIC announced it would be a part of the club program in April this year, so losing the status just a month ago was not how they expected to.

The fact that HEROIC won’t be a part of the partner program is a huge blow to its reputation. Leaving Dota 2, one of the major esports at the EWC 2026, means the organisation does not tick all the boxes.

What’s Next for HEROIC?

Considering what happened, HEROIC has to get back to the drawing board and figure out what to do. The Norwegian organisation is in a really difficult spot because it lost its Dota 2 team and EWC spot in a span of a few days. Changes like this usually lead to shifts inside the club itself, so we may see changes within its leadership.

I really hope that HEROIC can get out of the mud, as it is one of the more popular esports organisations overall. It has been around for ages and has already made a name for itself. After all, HEROIC had the best South American Dota 2 squad for several years in a row.

Esports World Cup 2026

Without going into too much detail, the Esports World Cup 2026 is going to be the biggest esports event this year. With a combined prize pool of $75,000,000, it’s definitely an event that people will remember.

Originally, it was supposed to take place in Riyadh, but there have been rumours that the Saudis will move it to Paris. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East does not seem like it will end soon, so the organisers want to make sure everything will be okay.

EWC 2026 should begin on July 6, so don’t forget to tune in for more information about it really soon.