Chinese Esports Teams Newbee Receive Lifetime Bans for Dota 2 Match Fixing Scandal

Chinese Esports Teams Receive Lifetime Bans for Dota 2 Fixing Scandal

Dota 2, owned by U.S. developer Valve Corporation and its Chinese partner Perfect World Entertnment, has banned two prominent Chinese esports organizations over match-fixing during a tournament.

A post on the popular social media platform Weibo revealed that Newbee and five of their players will be permanently barred from competing in future events organized by Dota 2’s global owners, with the identities of those implicated as professional gamers being released. The announcement follows an investigation into the team's performance during head-to-head matches at the tournament where signs of foul play were evident.

Founded in 2014, Newbee was lauded as a dream team comprised of China's top Dota 2 players and went on to win that year's premier global competition, The International, securing an impressive $5 million prize. In 2017, they secured second place at the same tournament with another $3.95 million in winnings.

The Chinese Dota Professional Association, along with domestic broadcasters, had already taken action agnst Newbee and Avengerls, a relatively unknown Shangh-based team, by issuing lifetime bans for match fixing back in May 2021.

Newbee's official Weibo account reacted with fury to the ban, accusing the league of damaging their reputation and threatening legal action through an unsigned lawyer letter.

However, since Valve Corporation hadn't banned Newbee prior to this announcement two days ago, they were still eligible for participation in The International tournament. This has now changed following the recent Dota 2 statement.

While match fixing is a persistent issue across various sports globally, with bets being placed on diverse outcomes through online gambling platforms, it's also prevalent in the competitive world of esports like Dota 2.

In an October podcast, Australian Dota 2 tournament organizer and commentator David Parker revealed that he believes cheating within this game has become widespread.

I think match fixing in Dota 2 is far more rampant than anyone realizes, Parker stated. I've heard allegations that 75 of teams in Southeast Asia are involved.

The structure of Dota 2 competitions may also contribute to the problem, with the majority of prize money gathered during a single annual tournament and no league system for year-round support for struggling teams compared to games like League of Legs.

This lack of financial stability can tempt players who belong to financially unstable teams into illegal activities. The Shangh-based esports professional known only as Chu agrees that without a league structure, poor-performing teams have zero income during off-seasons. He sees match fixing as an easier alternative for quick profits.

The absence of a league system means that there is no income if you have poor results, Chu explns. This makes match fixing seem like an easy way to gn significant profits.

The Dota 2 scandal involving Chinese organizations serves as a cautionary reminder agnst the darker side of esports, highlighting the potential pitfalls for teams and individuals involved in this competitive world.

References:

1 Dota 2 Bans Chinese Esports Teams. Weibo Post. January 5, 2021.

2 Parker, D., October. Dota 2's Match Fixing Epidemic. Podcast Transcript. Personal Communication.

3 Chu, S. September. Shangh Esports Professional Interview with Sixth Tone.

Legalities and implications of match fixing in China are complex issues that may require further clarification or additional context deping on the audience.
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