The matchfixing in Dota 2 has continued and some in the community have claimed it’s justified. This opinion caused a bit of drama.
Dota 2 coach Lee "SunBhie" Jeong-jae has lashed out at those in the MOBA community standing up for teams caught matchfixing.
Talon Esports coach SunBhie recently became heated after some Dota 2 fans reacted with pity when matchfixing rings were exposed earlier this month. The shocking investigation revealed that matchfixing and betting was happening in an organized Discord and the teams involved, including Thiuth Gaming, competed in major tournaments in the Dota 2 Pro Circuit.
This news came after dozens of players were also banned for matchfixing in China, proving this to be an ongoing concern in the pro Dota 2 scene.
SunBhie recently revealed growing frustration with the state of Dota 2 esports after some people expressed pity for the teams involved with the matchfixing. Some felt that it was the teams' only way of securing income and were simply fighting against the unfair prize pool distribution. But this reasoning only infuriated SunBhie more.
SunBhie expressed shock that people believed that teams should be allowed to cheat, throw, and matchfix until Valve pays them.
"No, I don't believe Valve owes them s—. Ban these f—ers and ban them enough 'till there's none left. This is crazy and disrespectful to the integrity of the pro scene. Literally being ransomed into giving these losers money?" SunBhie ranted.
Right now, Dota 2's prize pool distribution is set up so that only the very best performing teams leave with massive cash. This leaves all of the other teams — even the ones that are close to placing — with nothing to show for their time spent at the tournament. It can be difficult for these teams to earn enough money to support the players and staff.
Unfortunately, matchfixing isn't the right solution since it impacts other teams' performances and the integrity of the overall tournament. Fans are also impacted since they want to see a genuine match that's full of actual stakes and inspirational gameplay.
While it may be harsh, some teams are just not at a high enough level to earn the big prize pool at this time. Some changes could be made to Dota 2's tournament structure and prize money breakdown, but matchfixing has only had a negative impact on the community.