Evil Geniuses Drops Dota 2 Roster Amidst Salary Dispute
Evil Geniuses (EG) recently made headlines by parting ways with its passionate Dota 2 roster, a move that surprised many fans. Although the team consisted of some of the best players globally, a significant factor behind this decision was the organization’s desire to reduce operating costs.
It has long been speculated that EG was among the few elite esports organizations paying its Dota players a salary ranging from $100,000 upwards, depending on their expertise. This, as confirmed by former EG member Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen, was a key reason why he and his teammates chose to leave.
During one of his Twitch streams after signing with Shopify Rebellion, Cr1t was asked by a fan if his new organization offers lower salaries in comparison to EG. In response, the top-level support player revealed that EG was not willing to pay their salaries and posed the question to viewers whether they think EG pays more or less than other organizations.
“Listen, the reason we are not with EG is because they didn’t want to pay our salaries,” Cr1t stated. “Do the deduction yourself, do they pay more or less?”
In Cr1t’s opinion, EG wanted a more affordable roster and to pay an amount they considered fair. Despite being released for this reason, he expressed no hard feelings towards EG, as he believed they were overpaid and well-treated even during tough times like the COVID-19 pandemic when they couldn’t participate in events.
Salaries in the Dota Scene
While exact salary information for Dota players in different regions may never be disclosed, leaked details regarding South American (SA) salaries shed some light on the topic. A former professional player revealed that EG pays its new roster approximately $12,000 per player per month, which is reportedly less than what their North American roster received but higher than the previous SA average.
As SA’s Dota scene continues to improve, costs have increased, and this new payment structure for EG’s SA roster reflects that. Speculation arises regarding what EG paid its previous roster and what the players are earning now under the Shopify banner.
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