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Na'Vi finalizes Dota 2 roster, coronavirus leaves future uncertain

Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina Published 20/03/2020
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Natus Vincere may not be playing too much over the coming months, but fans now know the players that will be competing for the team in the immediate future.

The organization has finalized its Dota 2 roster with the addition of Semion “CemaTheSlayer” Krivulya. That gives Na`Vi this lineup moving forward in the season:

  1. Vladislav “Crystallize” Krystanek
  2. Idan “MagicaL” Vardanian
  3. Pavel “9pasha” Khvastunov
  4. Semion “CemaTheSlayer” Krivulya
  5. Ilyas “illias” Ganeev

Na`Vi has been one of the bigger surprises of the 2019-2020 Dota Pro Circuit season. The squad exceeded expectations at The International 2019, and added longtime Virtus.pro offlaner 9pasha after he became a free agent.

That lineup was a strong one, but the team has been in an almost constant state of flux since then. A failure to qualify for the MDL Chengdu Major saw longtime captain Akbar “SoNNeikO” Butaev benched. The team also had to deal with Bakyt “Zayac” Emilzhanov forcing his way out of the organization in order to join Virtus.pro, which opened the door for CemaTheSlayer to land with Na`Vi.

Despite these issues, Na`Vi has posted solid results throughout the year. The team started its season by winning WePlay! Reshuffle Madness 2019. Despite competing in a strong CIS field, Na`Vi successfully qualified for both DreamLeague Season 13 and the ESL One LA Major.

CemaTheSlayer and Na`Vi could have strong DPC season

CemaTheSlayer is a strong addition to any team. The Ukrainian was the backbone of Vega Squadron for four years and helped the team remain competitive for much of that time. He has bounced around between teams in the 18 months since splitting from Vega, but remains a real talent.

The trouble for every Dota 2 team is the coronavirus situation. Na`Vi could be in position for a great season, but cancellations of the ESL One LA Major and 2020 Epicenter Major, combined with the general dearth of Dota 2 tournament organizers has resulted in a huge void on the competitive calendar.

The team will compete at WeSave! Charity Play, a charity tournament. Outside that, the team has no games scheduled and could be looking at a long layoff unless it begins competing in smaller CIS regional leagues.

Steven Rondina Steven Rondina
About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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