Natus Vincere (NAVI) has officially acquired the PuckChamp roster, marking a significant return to the competitive Dota 2 scene. This acquisition includes their slot at the upcoming ESL One Bangkok 2024, where the team will compete for a share of the $1 million prize pool.
NAVI’s Dota 2 Resurgence
The decision comes after a month of inactivity for NAVI, during which the organization benched its main roster and relied solely on its academy team, Natus Vincere Junior.
NAVI has struggled to reclaim its former glory since its last appearance at The International (TI) in 2019. The team’s golden era includes a historic victory at the first-ever TI in 2011 and appearances in the TI grand finals in 2012 and 2013.
Why PuckChamp?
The PuckChamp roster caught NAVI’s attention with their exceptional performance in the Eastern Europe regional qualifiers for ESL One Bangkok 2024. Reformed earlier this month, PuckChamp demonstrated dominance:
- Open Qualifiers: Advanced comfortably.
- Closed Qualifiers: Secured victory against top-tier teams such as 1win and Virtus.pro to claim the regional spot.
The New NAVI Roster
The roster blends experienced players with rising talent:
- Indji “Shad” Lub
- Miroslav “BOOM” Bičan
- Oleh “Kaori” Medvedok
- Sukhbat “Sanctity-” Otgondavaa
- Vitaliy “QBFY” Ivanov
- Coach: Vitaliy “Sword_Art” Petkin, who continues his role from PuckChamp.
Notably, Sanctity, BOOM, and Sword_Art had previously represented NAVI earlier this season before transitioning to PuckChamp.
Challenges at ESL One Bangkok 2024
Scheduled from December 9 to 15, 2024, ESL One Bangkok will feature 12 elite teams, promising fierce competition. NAVI will face formidable opponents, including:
- Team Spirit, BetBoom Team, and PARIVISION from Eastern Europe.
- Team Liquid, the reigning TI 2024 champions.
- Team Falcons and other global powerhouses.
Conclusion
With their revamped roster, NAVI is poised to make an impact at ESL One Bangkok 2024. Fans are eager to see if this fresh lineup can propel NAVI back to the pinnacle of competitive Dota 2.