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 professionals 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 professionals have criticised the transfer as ‘un-Dota-like.’
New rule on all chat by PGL (Picture credit score: PGL)
PGL’s newest official rulebook situations on ‘all chat messages’
The parents behind a number of the largest Dota 2 tournaments in 2025, akin to 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”) at first of the sport and a ‘GG’ or good recreation on the conclusion of the match. Moreover, to actually 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 lead to warnings or penalties on the discretion of PGL’s administration.
Moreover, to actually 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 lead to 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 desires to implement that taking part 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 may need amongst themselves.
But, it doesn’t appear absurd of PGL to implement this new rule, particularly since poisonous all chat incidents have turn into fairly the norm just lately.
Notorious Dota 2 professional gamers recognized for being poisonous
Arguably essentially the most notorious professional participant recognized 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 albeit, maybe this incident alone was adequate for PGL to justify the brand new all chat rule at their upcoming PGL Wallachia S4, the place Workforce Falcons and AVULUS are current.
In one other occasion, the Workforce Falcons participant additionally has beef with Aurora Gaming’s Alexander “TORONTOTOKYO” Khertek. The latter toxically wrote he would “f*ck him at present” at DreamLeague Season 22. Though Ammar has clarified that this was merely banter they usually had been good mates, it’s nonetheless unprofessional to write down such a slur in all chat throughout an official match.
One other poisonous professional participant taking part at PGL Wallachia S4 is PARIVISION‘s Edgar ‘9Class’ Nalchikyan. The younger participant has beef with Workforce OG, such that Sébastien “Ceb” Debs shared that his poisonous habits in pubs made them think about not recruiting him into the group.
However, PGL didn’t prohibit using out there Dota 2 options, akin to 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 might turn into the norm for Dota 2, with many predicting that all-chat and poisonous behaviour might be legislated out of the Dota 2 scene endlessly. Solely time can inform if that prediction holds true.
