Dota 2 match organizer, PGL enforces new guideline to limit poisonous interactions amongst professional gamers of their match rulebook. This got here as a stunning revelation for Dota 2 followers and execs as nicely because the banter and all-chat interactions have all the time been a part of the sport’s spirit.
The brand new guidelines are reportedly a part of a wider transfer to restrict all chat toxicity in professional video games. Nonetheless, followers and execs have criticised the transfer as ‘un-Dota-like.’
New rule on all chat by PGL (Picture credit score: PGL)
PGL’s newest official rulebook circumstances on ‘all chat messages’
The parents behind a number of the largest Dota 2 tournaments in 2025, resembling PGL Wallachia and the Worldwide 2025 (TI14), have added new guidelines that states:
Gamers ought to restrict their use of in-game all chat to solely ‘wishing their opponents good luck (“GLHF”) initially of the sport and a ‘GG’ or good recreation on the conclusion of the match. Moreover, to essentially get the message throughout to the professional gamers, they warned that extreme or pointless chat past the talked about occasion are discouraged. Whereby, repeated or inappropriate use of in-game chat could end in warnings or penalties on the discretion of PGL’s administration.
Moreover, to essentially get the message throughout to the professional gamers, they warned that extreme or pointless chat past the talked about occasion are discouraged. Whereby, repeated or inappropriate use of in-game chat could end in warnings or penalties on the discretion of PGL’s administration.
New rule on all chat by PGL (Picture credit score: PGL)
Why did PGL add this new rule?
Clearly, PGL needs to implement that collaborating Dota 2 groups at their match to be pleasant with each other, ideally with none beef. Nonetheless, at the price of any type of pleasant banter or inside jokes that many groups might need amongst themselves.
But, it doesn’t appear absurd of PGL to implement this new rule, particularly since poisonous all chat incidents have grow to be fairly the norm just lately.
Notorious Dota 2 professional gamers identified for being poisonous
Arguably essentially the most notorious professional participant identified for being poisonous is Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf, the place his antics have even led to an altercation with one other professional participant, Akbar “SoNNeikO” Butaev. The incident occurred bodily at PGL Wallachia S2. And admittedly, maybe this incident alone was enough for PGL to justify the brand new all chat rule at their upcoming PGL Wallachia S4, the place Staff Falcons and AVULUS are current.
In one other occasion, the Staff Falcons participant additionally has beef with Aurora Gaming’s Alexander “TORONTOTOKYO” Khertek. The latter toxically wrote he would “f*ck him at the moment” at DreamLeague Season 22. Though Ammar has clarified that this was merely banter and so they had been good associates, it’s nonetheless unprofessional to write down such a slur in all chat throughout an official match.
One other poisonous professional participant collaborating at PGL Wallachia S4 is PARIVISION‘s Edgar ‘9Class’ Nalchikyan. The younger participant has beef with Staff OG, such that Sébastien “Ceb” Debs shared that his poisonous habits in pubs made them take into account not recruiting him into the group.
However, PGL didn’t prohibit the usage of obtainable Dota 2 options, resembling tipping or utilizing voice strains. Regardless of being innocent options within the recreation, many professional gamers have used them and even interpreted the use or spam of tipping or voice strains as an indication of disrespect and toxicity.
What’s extra, this new rule replace may grow to be the norm for Dota 2, with many predicting that all-chat and poisonous behaviour shall be legislated out of the Dota 2 scene without end. Solely time can inform if that prediction holds true.
