Shopify Rebellion parts ways with Cr1t, Abed, and Fly
Shopify Rebellion released a bombshell announcement, informing fans that three members of their Dota 2 roster will be leaving the team. Abed "Abed" Yusop, Andreas "Cr1t-" Nielsen, and Tal "Fly" Aizik are now free agents.
The move comes after the team failed to make a deep dive at The International 12 (TI12), being one of the first teams eliminated in the playoffs.
Shopify Rebellion splits up a nearly decade-old partnership
NA Dota will never be the same again. (Credit: Shopify Rebellion)The 2023 Dota 2 season started well for Shopify, as the team placed second in the first two DPC Tours while taking third place in DreamLeague Season 19 and fourth in the Lima Major. The strong start led fans to believe that North America was back as a powerhouse Dota 2 region.
The success didn't last for the team, as starting from the Berlin Major, Shopify Rebellion failed to make a deep run in almost all International tournaments, with top 12 finishes at the latter two Majors being their best performances.
Fans who hoped the team might rally in time to do well at TI12 were left sorely disappointed, as Shopify went 2-6 in the Group Stage and proceeded to lose their placement match and lower bracket match, eliminating them from the tournament.
The team splitting up will be a big change for the players. Fly, Cr1t, and Artour "Arteezy" Babaev have been together for seven years, since joining Evil Geniuses in 2016. Fly and Cr1t as a duo go back even longer, as they were a part of OG in 2015.
Abed has played mid for the lineup for four years, longer than many pro players' careers. The team splitting up could lead to a big shakeup in the American Dota 2 competitive scene, as the most well-known players in the region are suddenly free agents.
In his Twitter account, Cr1t shared his excitement for the future, "new era for me, a new team with high aspirations and a new environment to learn in. back to being the best next year."
Shopify Rebellion's current Dota 2 lineup
- Artour "Arteezy" Babaev
- Jonáš "SabeRLight-" Volek
- Kanishka "BuLba" Sosale (Coach)
It'll be interesting to see who joins the remaining players and where the departing stars will go. The upcoming qualifiers for ESL Kuala Lumpur should provide an idea of what teams we can expect to see in the next few months.
READ MORE: Yatoro Honors Ame at The International 12
Featured Image Source: Shopify Rebellion