Syed “SumaiL” Hassan isn’t playing with Quincy Crew anymore, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to just be on his couch for the coming months.
His now-former team is set to compete at both ESL One Hamburg and the Dota Summit 11 Minor with a different lineup. Despite that, ESL notes that SumaiL will still be attending its next Dota 2 event in one capacity or another.
“Our final team is here! With possibly the most ‘interesting’ team logo we’ve ever seen, please welcome Quincy Crew to ESL One Hamburg 2019,” ESL announced on Twitter. “And yes, SumaiL will also be coming.”
It’s unclear what SumaiL’s presence will entail. The most likely answer would be attending as a special guest for fan signings. He has also done some work as an analyst and broadcaster at the World Showdown of Esports events. There is also the possibility that he could end up playing as a late substitution for a different team, should anyone be forced to withdraw due to health or visa issues.
When will SumaiL have a new team? Will SumaiL return to Evil Geniuses?
SumaiL’s deactivation from Evil Geniuses was a shock across the entire Dota 2 world. Even in a game where teams have been known to kick players immediately after they win The International, seeing someone removed from their team while still being unanimously regarded as an elite talent in their role is unusual. He seemingly found a new home quickly after being benched with the Quincy Crew, but things went sideways shortly thereafter.
The team failed to qualify for the MDL Chengdu Major. Though they then managed to qualify for the Dota Summit 11 Minor, the team then released SumaiL due to “fit issues” as well as unspecified legal troubles.
The fit issues were not especially surprising, given the fact that SumaiL had to adopt a carry role with Quincy Crew despite spending almost the entirety of his career as a mid. The legal troubles went unsaid, but there is a chance that these stemmed from SumaiL’s contractual status with Evil Geniuses.
Though he is currently not a member of their active roster, SumaiL remains under contract with the EG organization. That means there could be factors like transfer fees that keep him out of action.
There is always the possibility he could return to Evil Geniuses if their new lineup fails to come through or suffers from any interpersonal issues. But with the team set to compete at the MDL Chengdu Major and looking like a possible favorite to win the event, that seems unlikely at this time.
