Tundra Esports has announced its departure from competitive Dota 2, with its full roster and coaching staff transferring to 1win for the remainder of the 2026 season. The organisation confirmed the move on June 1, framing it as the start of "a new chapter" rather than a shutdown of the players themselves. The lineup stays completely intact, which is a relatively rare outcome given that roster changes usually scatter players across multiple organisations. The players are moving on together; it is the Tundra brand that is stepping away from the scene.
The Roster and Its TI 2026 Invite
The roster joining 1win consists of Ivan "Pure" Moskalenko, Bozhidar "bzm" Bogdanov, Neta "33" Shapira, Matthew "Ari" Walker, and Matthew "Whitemon" Filemon, alongside coach David "MoonMeander" Tan. Crucially, the move does not affect the team's qualification for The International 2026 in Shanghai. Because direct invites are assigned to the roster's core rather than the organisation, the invite, one of seven handed out, transfers with the players to 1win, keeping their run to the tournament on track.
A Successful Run Cut Short
Tundra Esports entered Dota 2 in 2021 by signing the former Mudgolems roster and quickly became one of the most recognisable organisations in the scene. Its defining achievement remains lifting the Aegis of Champions at The International 2022 in Singapore. The team continued winning well after that peak, with recent titles including FISSURE Universe: Episode 4, three consecutive BLAST Slam championships, DreamLeague Season 28, and ESL One Birmingham 2026, where Ari lifted the trophy in front of a home crowd in the UK. Tundra has been among the strongest teams of the 2025-2026 season, which makes the timing of the exit particularly surprising. It was unexpected to say the least.
The roster's final event under the Tundra banner was BLAST Slam VII, where the team finished a disappointing 9th-10th and earned $15,000. That result reads differently in light of the organisational changes the players were navigating behind the scenes at the time.
Part of a Wider Trend
Tundra did not give a specific reason for leaving Dota 2, and its statement did not confirm whether it might return with a new lineup in the future. The departure adds to a growing list of organisations exiting the competitive Dota 2 space. It follows the recent exits of Heroic, which left citing "unsustainable" finances before its roster was picked up by LGD Gaming, as well as paiN Gaming, with both South American departures pointing to financial viability concerns.
In its farewell statement, Tundra thanked its players and coach MoonMeander, crediting them with bringing "passion, brilliance, joy, and excitement to millions of fans," and also thanked its partner Winline for its support throughout the team's competitive run. Attention now turns to how the roster performs under the 1win banner as the season builds toward TI 2026 in Shanghai.
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