PSG.LGD signs EHOME roster, EHOME rebuilds around Sccc

Chinese Dota 2 is undergoing an enormous roster shuffle and two more teams are starting with a clean slate as a result. 

EHOME and PSG.LGD have completed a blockbuster trade that will see both teams boasting all-new lineups in the 2020-2021 Dota Pro Circuit season. The change will see the bulk of EHOME’s roster making up the new core of PSG.LGD. In exchange, EHOME is acquiring the services of PSG.LGD’s previously contracted players and filling in the remaining gaps with members of CDEC Gaming and an additional free agency signing. 

After the deal, EHOME will field the following roster:

1. Song “Sccc” Chun
2. Guo “Xm” Hongcheng
3. Yang “Chalice”‘ Shenyi
4. Zhou “James” Yifu
5. Jian Wei “xNova” Yap

The biggest name on the roster is star player Sccc. Long the core of Newbee’s lineup, Sccc left the team in 2019 to join Team Aster and transitioned from being a mid laner to a carry. Aster had some highlights, most notably winning the StarLadder Minor Season 3, but struggled in the online portion of the season. Sccc’s deal with Aster ultimately lasted just a year, with the player unable to come to terms on an extension.

The status of established EHOME carry Liu “Sylar” Jiajun is unclear.

Xm and James both come from EHOME after spending the bulk of their careers in the second tier of the Chinese scene. Chalice and xNova were the last two contracted players on PSG.LGD’s roster, departing after a roller coaster year that ended in July with an exodus from the team.

PSG.LGD has built up a new roster, with its lineup including the following player:

1. Wang “Ame” Chunyu
2. Cheng “NothingToSay” Jin Xiang
3. Zhang “Faith_bian” Ruida
4. Zhao “XinQ” Zixing
5. Zhang “y`” Yiping

NothingToSay, Faith_bian, XinQ, and y` all join from EHOME, while NothingToSay and XinQ remain under contract with EHOME. The final member of PSG.LGD is Ame, who rejoins PSG.LGD after being traded away by the team to CDEC for Lai “Ahjit” Jay Son only months ago in February. 

Alongside the new roster, PSG.LGD also added Zhang “xiao8” Ning as its new coach. xiao8 has been coaching EHOME since 2018, but is a legend of the Chinese Dota 2 scene for his prolonged success with LGD Gaming’s DotA and Dota 2 teams, and a victory at The International 2014 with Newbee.

PSG.LGD needs to rebuild after rough Dota 2 season

The all-new roster is a much-needed reset for PSG.LGD after enduring one of the most disappointing years in the organization’s history. Despite retaining its 2018-2019 season roster that managed to take third at The International 2019, PSG.LGD started the season in disastrous fashion by skipping the MDL Chengdu Major and then failing to clear the open qualifiers to both ESL One Los Angeles and DreamLeague Season 13.

A number or roster tweaks followed and improved the team, but PSG.LGD still didn’t look up to scratch with previous iterations of the side.

The LGD organization is hoping that its superior infrastructure will help bring the previous EHOME roster to the next level. The team is importing an EHOME roster that performed well during the season, but was not yet considered elite. The only further change the team is making is playing Ame as a carry over Sylar, which suggests that LGD believes it can help turn this lineup into champions.

The first look at the new PSG.LGD roster will come at the China Dota2 Pro Cup, which kicks off on September 17.