win.gg
Win.gg Dota 2 VP.Prodigy finalizes new team with Gambit’s gpk, Na’Vi’s illias

VP.Prodigy finalizes new team with Gambit's gpk, Na'Vi's illias

Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina Published 05/11/2020
Google Preferred Source

Virtus.pro’s secondary roster, VP.Prodigy, has completed its roster for the new season.

The CIS squad has added mid laner Danil “gpk” Skutin and hard support player Illias “illias” Ganeev. The duo steps in to replace Rostislav “fn” Lozovoi and Albert “eine” Garaev, who departed the team in November. With gpk and illias, the VP.Prodigy roster stands as follows:

  1. Egor “epileptick1d” Grigorenko
  2. Danil “gpk” Skutin
  3. Dmitry “DM” Dorokhin
  4. Vitalie “Save-” Melnic
  5. Illias “illias” Ganeev

gpk had something of a breakout performance last season. Playing for Gambit Esports, he helped the team notch strong placements in a variety of tournaments, most notably taking third in the ONE Esports Dota 2 World Pro Invitational Singapore. As the online league era kicked into full gear, gpk began playing as a regular substitute for other teams including Team Spirit, HellRaisers, and Evil Geniuses.

Gambit wasn’t able to properly highlight his considerable skill, but there is a very strong chance that he could establish himself as a major star with VP.Prodigy.

illias had a major jump up in competition last season, moving from the tier-three regional scene to Natus Vincere. The results were not positive.

Aside from qualifying for the DreamLeague Season 13 major, Na`Vi was generally ineffectual throughout the year and placed in the bottom half of every notable event it competed in. Like gpk, the move to VP.Prodigy should be a boon for illias as he joins a core of players that have proven success.

VP.Prodigy roster news interesting, but SumaiL questions linger

This VP.Prodigy roster is an interesting one and the team could pan out to be a serious force in the CIS region. At present, Natus Vincere is the top-ranked Dota 2 team in the CIS region thanks to the signing of the former FlyToMoon roster. VP.Prodigy dominated the head-to-head matchups with FTM, positioning the team to become the CIS region’s best.

That said, the big rumor that lingers over any discussion of the Virtus.pro organization is the rumor that the team is set to build a new squad that includes multiple members of its five-time major-winning lineup and former Evil Geniuses mid laner Syed “SumaiL” Hassan.

Though there has long been chatter about whether VP.Prodigy was the superior team, and even some speculation that VP.Prodigy would be rebranded as the actual Virtus.pro lineup. A new roster with SumaiL would likely change a lot of minds in that regard, but nothing has yet been publicly confirmed.

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.

View full profile
Read Also
Team Yandex stop the magic, defeating LGD in BLAST Slam VII finals Dota 2
Team Yandex stop the magic, defeating LGD in BLAST Slam VII finals Michael Hassall Team Yandex have defeated LGD Gaming in the grand finals of BLAST Slam VII in a dramatic 3-1 series that saw both teams pushed to the limit, but ultimately Yandex come out on top. Concluding the last major tournament before teams head to the Esports World Cup and The International 2026 next month and in August, Yandex were able to counter the momentum of LGD that had brought them into ...
BLAST Slam VII Finals Predictions and Picks – Can LGD make it all the way? Dota 2
BLAST Slam VII Finals Predictions and Picks – Can LGD make it all the way? Michael Hassall LGD Gaming in the top three of a tournament!? What is this 2021? BLAST Slam VII has been one of the most surprising tournaments of the year, and has capped off the pre-EWC and TI season with some of the most thrilling gameplay we’ve seen in months. And the finals are set to be even more exciting. With just three teams left there’s a lot on the line, from the ...
Easiest Dota 2 Heroes for Beginners – Best Picks to Learn the Game Dota 2
Easiest Dota 2 Heroes for Beginners – Best Picks to Learn the Game Simon Day We can all agree that Dota 2 is a complex game, but starting with the right heroes can make the learning process much smoother. Choosing one of the best Dota 2 heroes for beginners is key to building your skills and enjoying your matches. That’s why it’s time to explore the heroes that are easy to understand, effective in the game and great for learning the fundamentals. Without going into ...
BLAST Slam VII Playoffs Preview – Visa issues transform the playoff picture Dota 2
BLAST Slam VII Playoffs Preview – Visa issues transform the playoff picture Michael Hassall BLAST Slam VII is the last major tournament before teams lock-in and compete at the EWC and The International, and as a result, we’re seeing a tournament with some unique outcomes. With teams seemingly treating this as a last-minute tune-up before the championship clashes of the next two months, a South American team has topped the table and some of the best teams in the world are either without players ...
TI-Champions Tundra Esports exit Dota 2 as roster transfers to 1win Dota 2
TI-Champions Tundra Esports exit Dota 2 as roster transfers to 1win Michael Hassall Tundra Esports has revealed it’s leaving Dota 2 after six years and a victory at The International 2022. The UK-based organization has announced its roster will transfer directly to 1win for future events. The announcement, posted on Tundra's socials on June 1, confirms rumors and earlier social posts from 1win which hinted at a new lineup. With the move, however, questions about 1win’s existing EEU roster and attendance at The ...
A full weekend of TI15 tickets will cost you just $280 – If you don’t mind the view Dota 2
A full weekend of TI15 tickets will cost you just $280 – If you don’t mind the view Michael Hassall Alongside the team invites for The International 2026, Valve today (May 26) unveiled the pricing and details of how to purchase tickets for TI15, and the price is the lowest in years. For years we’ve seen the price of The International Prize, with a peak of around $700 as a lowest price for a full weekend for both 2023 in Seattle, and 2024 in Copenhagen. But after a fall in ...
Valve has announced the TI15 invites: Here’s why some team names are very different Dota 2
Valve has announced the TI15 invites: Here’s why some team names are very different Michael Hassall It’s around three months until The International 2026, TI15, and Valve has just unveiled the direct invites and qualifier invites to the event, but eagle-eyed fans will notice some strange names in the team lists. Valve unveiled the invites in the small hours of the morning on May 26 (late evening on May 25 for their HQ in Bellevue, Washington), detailing the seven direct invites, regional qualifier invites, and some ...