Geek Fam cuts Dota 2 team due to cancellation of DPC, Raven leaving

Only a few days after Reality Rift ceased operations, another Southeast Asian organization has released its Dota 2 team. Geek Fam announced that the organization has released its roster due to the cancelation of the 2019-20 Dota Pro Circuit. 

“With the cancelling of Dota 2 Minor and Major tournaments of the season due to safety concerns, it is very difficult for us to continue with the indefinite delay for TI10 and Dota Pro Circuit,” Geek Fam said on its official Facebook page.

The team had the following lineup:

• Karl “Karl” Jayme
• Carlo “Kuku” Palad
• Kenny “Xepher” Deo
• Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon

A steady presence in the SEA scene over recent years, Geek Fam just recently established itself as one of the best teams in the region. With multiple victories and top-three finishes this year, including a win at ONE Esports Dota 2 SEA League, Geek Fam rose to prominence as a direct rival to Fnatic and TNC, the two teams that have been dominating the SEA region. 

The team’s climb started with its qualification for the ESL One Los Angeles Major. After qualifying for the tournament, the team secured visas and flew to Los Angeles a week prior to the event to overcome jet lag. With the lockdown in the U.S. beginning 36 hours before the tournament was scheduled to start, all of the teams returned home.  It performed well in a number of online leagues in the summer, but Marc Polo Luis “Raven” Fausto’s departure to Fnatic killed the team’s momentum.

The organization still has plans to return to the Dota 2 scene when the situation regarding the DPC and The International stabilizes. It is currently unknown if the roster will be sticking together, but it looks as though they might still have a place back in Geek Fam once the situation allows it.

“With no updates to the Dota Pro Circuit up until now, we have decided to put a pause on our Dota 2 journey. Once there is a visible future for Dota 2 and the DPC, we will be back, but until then, we say goodbye to our geeks. To Kuku, Karl, Xepher, Whitemon and even Raven, Ryoya and Dubu.”