Elephant 2.0 is likely making a return too Dota 2. Chinese Dota 2 fans can rejoice, as several legendary Chinese Dota 2 players are coming together for yet another run.
Lu “Somnus” Yao is already known to prefer playing Dota 2 on a part-time basis, and he returns yet again for another temporary stint in pro play.
Lu “Somnus” Yao (Image Credits: The International 2023)
Somnus and Yang “Chalice” Shenyi are likely making a comeback to the professional Dota 2, forming a “fun stack” with Zhou “Yang” Haiyang. The news was shared in a recent live stream, and the new team has been humorously dubbed Elephant 2.0. Xiong “Pyw” Jiahan and Yu “Siamese.C” Yajun are expected to join the lineup. This means Chalice shifting roles from offlaner to carry.
Lets consider the timeline in which Somnus and friends are returning to Dota 2.
It’s clear that this team is assembling purely for fun and may participate in the open qualifiers for the International 2024 (TI13). If we are lucky, we might even see them in third-party tournaments, but only if they qualify through open qualifiers.
Yang “Chalice” Shenyi (Image Credits: The International 2023)
The original Team Elephant includes celebrated players from PSG.LGD and Vici Gaming: Zhang “Paparazi” Chengjun, Xu “fy” Linsen, Xie “Super” Junhao, Yang and Somnus himself were all part of the roster. Despite high expectations, the team did not perform well and disbanded after the International 2021 (TI10).
After Ti10, Somnus announced his retirement in late 2022 but returned in mid-2023 to join Azure Ray, stating that his retirement was more of a break. His return to competitive play at TI12 was notably more successful.
The formation of Team Elephant 2.0 now captures the attention of fans, albeit without the presence of former teammate, Xu “fy” Linsen, whose return remains uncertain.
Team Elephant at TI10 (Image Credits: The International 2021)
Finally, the return of Somnus might reignite tensions with the Russian squad, BetBoom Team. It all stemms from a dispute during the Bali Major 2023. BetBoom’s Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko faced disqualification for rule violations, an incident BetBoom believes was influenced by Somnus’ team, though Somnus stated the decision was made by the organizers.
The beef continues to manifest in their encounters, notably when Azure Ray defeated BetBoom at TI12, ending the match with a provocative “?” typed in the game chat.
With all these dynamics, many fans eagerly await Somnus’ return to the Dota 2 scene, offering both entertainment and potential drama.
LOL
CS2
Dota 2
Valorant
Fortnite
Call of Duty
Mobile Games
Gaming
EN Global 
JP 日本語