Team Spirit Expresses Discontent with NA Pubs Amidst TI12 Preparation

Team Spirit is one of the 12 renowned professional Dota 2 team visiting Seattle, Washington for The International 2023 (TI12) tournament. Notably, the team had been bootcamping at Evil Geniuses' office and scrimming other pro teams.

Team Spirit recently unveiled its concerns regarding the quality of North American (NA) public games in a vlog shared on its YouTube channel on 13th October. The candid vlog featuring players of Team Spirit offered insights into the challenges the team faces in NA pubs, including issues with communication, lower skill levels, and their overall dissatisfaction with the games.

Team Spirit Yatoro’s Take on NA Pubs, His Thoughts on Current Patch

Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk, one of Team Spirit's players, expressed his disappointment with the standard of American pubs. According to him, NA pubs are often filled with players who do not meet the usual standard of skills and coordination the pros are accustomed to in their region.

This disparity has seemingly left the players of Team Spirit craving a more fulfilling gaming experience. Some of their grievances include language barriers, primarily due to interactions with Spanish-speaking players, and general frustration with the skill levels exhibited by their opponents in these casual games.

Yatoro said, "People here [NA] play very badly. It's also a problem that players from both South and North America are playing. Usually, you've got four Spanish-speaking guys with you. They communicate with each other and you don't understand anything."

A central point of the candid interaction in Team Spirit’s vlog revolved around Yatoro's preferred heroes and strategies for the current patch. He emphasized the significance of hero adaptability, frequently opting for versatile choices that increase their chances of securing victory.

The heroes he highlighted include Lifestealer, Phantom Assassin, and Sven. Yatoro favored Lifestealer for its adaptability and ability to address diverse in-game situations, viewing it as a strong potential pick for the tournament and revealed he has been practicing the hero.

Yatoro remained confident in Phantom Assassin's capabilities, emphasizing its enduring strength despite the recent changes, including the 50% Blur cooldown Aghanim upgrade adjustment.

Talking about Sven, Yatoro underlined his belief that the hero remained a valid choice, unaffected by recent changes, and can still carry games effectively.

Navigating the Unpredictable Terrain of NA Pubs

Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov shared his own experiences of playing Dota 2 in NA. He also revealed that he encountered significant challenges. Collapse highlighted having suffered losses in 11 out of 15 games since his arrival in the United States.

He emphasized the importance of taking breaks and avoiding excessive gaming during losing streaks, as it can have a detrimental impact on one's performance. He stated, "You can't play pubs in America all day; you'll go crazy." He also attributed Quinn "Quinn" Callahan as living proof of this notion.

Furthermore, the players shared insights into maintaining form and skill levels. They stressed the importance of focusing on improvement rather than simply grinding games, emphasizing the need for breaks to recharge and sustain motivation.