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GamingOG Dota 2 Just Made its Most Dramatic Roster Change Ever
Two-time, back-to-back The International champions, OG, have just pulled off the boldest move in their history by leaving Europe behind and relocating their Dota 2 division to another region for the first time. The organization’s newest venture lands in Southeast Asia, picking up a full Filipino roster.
Meet OG’s New Squad – Former Team Aureus
Instead of trialing a bunch of European stand-ins and hoping something sticks, OG have gone for a much more stable approach by picking up a ready-made team. The org signed the entire Team Aureus stack, which has been making waves in Southeast Asia.
The new roster features some very notable names:
- John “Natsumi-” Vargas
- Erin Jasper “Yopaj” Ferrer
- Nikko “Force” Bilocura
- Timothy “TIMS” Randrup
- Andrei “skem” Ong
Despite being relatively new to the composition, most of these Filipino players have teamed up at some point in their careers, so the chemistry is already established. As Aureus, they’ve already tested themselves in Tier 1 environments like BLAST Slam IV, where they put up a solid fight and finished in the top eight, just one series shy from qualifying for the main event.
The squad has also punched their ticket to PGL Wallachia Season 6 by dominating the SEA Closed Qualifiers, meaning they already have plans for their international debut under the legendary OG banner.
A Solution to Financial Woes
Getting a functional roster is one half of the story, but money is the other. OG’s 2024 financial report revealed a stark reality: nearly €3 million in losses, primarily due to staff costs and underperforming lineups across several titles.
Shifting their flagship Dota division to SEA is, on paper, a much leaner move. Player salaries and support costs in SEA – especially in the Philippines – are generally lower than in Western Europe. Bootcamps and travel are also significantly cheaper and easier to maintain.
Hoping for Commitment this Time
For the past few years, OG has been stuck, mixing and matching players in attempts at new rebuilds. After TI14, OG publicly stated they had “faith” in their then-current roster and wanted to commit to them for the next year, only to drop all of them a month later.
Such a history has made it hard for diehard OG fans to buy into yet another “new era,” but things really look different this time. The move to SEA looks more committed on paper, especially with OG already operating Selangor Red Giants OG Esports (SRG.OG) – an extremely successful Mobile Legends roster based in Malaysia.
Considering that SEA’s top team, Talon Esports, is no longer in the mix, the region is wide open for a new dominant squad. OG certainly has the talent to step into that new position of power and establish itself as the next big SEA team.
