The Saudi Arabian organization is leaving competitive Dota 2 following a highly successful run that included a TI 2025 championship.
Team Falcons has officially withdrawn from competitive Dota 2, bringing an end to one of the most successful organization-and-roster runs of the post-DPC era.
The Saudi Arabian esports organization announced its departure on September 6, citing a strategic review of its esports roadmap and the need for greater long-term operational sustainability.
“Farewell, Dota 2. It’s been an incredible ride,” Falcons said in its announcement, thanking its players, staff, and the Dota 2 community for the memories created during its time in the game.
The decision comes shortly after Falcons’ campaign at The International 2026, where the team finished seventh-eighth following losses to Nigma Galaxy and Team Liquid.
Falcons’ Dota 2 Era Ends With a TI Championship
Team Falcons entered competitive Dota 2 in 2023 and quickly established itself as one of the leading teams in the scene.
The organization’s most significant achievement came at The International 2025 in Hamburg, where Falcons captured the Aegis of Champions after defeating Xtreme Gaming 3-2 in the grand final.
The roster also accumulated 11 tournament victories during its run, including seven Tier 1 titles.
The lineup of Oliver “skiter” Lepko, Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak, Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf, Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen, and Wu “Sneyking” Jingjun, coached by Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling, became one of the longest-standing five-player rosters in the modern Dota 2 scene.
Across nearly three years together, the roster played 799 games and recorded a 65.4% win rate, making its eventual breakup a significant moment for the competitive scene.
TI 2026 Marks the End of the Run
Falcons’ final tournament under the organization was The International 2026 in Shanghai.
The defending champions were unable to repeat their previous year’s success, losing 1-2 to Nigma Galaxy in the upper-bracket opening round. They were subsequently eliminated by Team Liquid in the lower bracket after another 1-2 defeat.
The seventh-eighth-place finish brought an end to the team’s competitive campaign before Falcons announced its withdrawal from Dota 2.
Falcons Focuses on Its Wider Esports Strategy
According to the organization, the decision followed a strategic assessment of its multi-title esports plans for 2026 and beyond.
Falcons said its objective is to build long-term programs across global esports and indicated that it will shift resources toward ecosystems that better align with its future strategy.
The organization did not indicate that it is leaving esports altogether. Instead, its announcement points toward a broader restructuring of its competitive portfolio.
What Happens to the Falcons Players?
The future of the former Falcons roster remains uncertain.
Aui_2000 had already announced his departure from professional Dota 2 following The International 2026, while Cr1t- has also been linked with a potential retirement.
There has also been speculation surrounding the futures of the remaining players. Malr1ne has indicated that he expects to continue playing alongside ATF, while reports have linked Sneyking with a potential move to a Chinese team.
However, those potential moves have not been fully confirmed and the players’ next destinations remain to be seen.
For Team Falcons, the exit closes a relatively short but highly successful chapter in Dota 2. The organization leaves the game as a former International champion, ending its run at the highest level with one of the most decorated rosters of the post-DPC era.
Gamelevate will continue to cover the latest Dota 2 esports news and roster developments.
