Three Dota 2 icons have retired after The International 2022

Your favorite Dota 2 pros have have just retired now that The International 2022 is over.

While The International 2022 was a celebration of Dota 2, the event has also closed the curtains on some of the game’s most illustrious players. Multiple pros announced before and during the tournament that they intend to retire once the $19 million Dota 2 tournament finds its champion. Now that Tundra Esports has claimed the Aegis, these three players will leave behind historic careers.

MATUMBAMAN is retired after The International 2022

The first player many fans will recognize is Team Liquid carry and Aegis winner Lasse “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen. The TI7 champion announced his intention to retire shortly before the event. He later confirmed his decision to retire through social media after Liquid finally settled at third place.

Top 3 once again, was one hell of a run. I cannot imagine a better way to end ones career. Thanks for the enormous support I have received during this event and the past 7 years. Bittersweet moment but I have no regrets. Thank you all and see ya.

— Lasse Urpalainen (@MATUMBAMAN) October 30, 2022

Matu began his last dance in the last chance qualifier where Liquid and Secret both began podium runs. Liquid took an early tumble to Aster to fall into the lower bracket, but the squad fought all the way to loser’s finals before finally being knocked out by Secret. Along the way, MATUMBAMAN scored a career-defining highlight where he saved his Ludwig “zai” Wåhlberg’s Pangolier at literally 1 HP with an Infest bomb.

MATUMBAMAN’s retirement comes after winning an estimated $4.9 million from eight years of competitive play. His biggest championship with an Aegis at The International 2017, which was also under the Team Liquid banner. Lasse, as familiar fans call him, is still young, and a future comeback may have become even likelier after such an outstanding run at The International 2022.

CN legends Ame and Faith_Bian have left Dota 2

In addition to one of the west’s most iconic carries, Dota 2 will also lose two of the most successful players in Chinese Dota 2 history.

PSG.LGD captain Zhang “Faith_bian” Ruida announced on social media ahead of The International 2022 that he intends for it to be his last Dota 2 tournament before switching to retired status. If true, the captain will leave after a disappointing fifth-place finish. The modern LGD captain first rose to prominence after winning The International 2016 with Wings Gaming. That tournament remains the last time a Chinese team won The International.

Fellow PSG.LGD player Wang “Ame” Chunyu has not formally announced his retirement, but he has hinted at leaving the competitive scene multiple times in 2022. He claimed that his retirement status was a secret during a Dota Pro Circuit interview, and the carry  While Ame’s retirement is not confirmed, it would put an end to an extremely successful career with five consecutive top-five finishes at The International and almost $4 million in earnings.