Esports organization Falcons, backed by Saudi Arabia, has made a significant entry into the Dota 2 scene by acquiring two core players from Tundra Esports, the champions of The International 2022. Support player Jingjun “Sneyking” Wu and top-ranked carry Oliver “skiter” Lepko are the key additions to the Falcons roster, expected to participate in the ESL One Kuala Lumpur open qualifiers on November 14. Joining them in the offlane is Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf, who, after previous stints with OG, Nigma Galaxy, and a loan to Quest Esports, watched TI 2023 from home.
While the official announcement of the roster was made on November 11, Dota enthusiasts noticed the squad’s registration on FACEIT for the Kuala Lumpur qualifiers. This move by Falcons follows the abrupt breakup of Tundra Esports after TI 2023.
In addition to the Tundra duo and ATF, Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen has joined Falcons after leaving Shopify Rebellion last week. The 27-year-old Dane, who spent nearly a year with Shopify, including a top-four finish at the Lima Major, is set to enter his 12th year of competitive Dota with Falcons if he stays on for 2024.
Completing the roster is the untested rookie Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak. The 19-year-old Russian player, known for his time with Creepwave and Nemiga Gaming, where he secured the Dota Pro Circuit Eastern European Division Two title, will serve as the mid-laner for Falcons. Fans may recognize Malr1ne as he stood in for Tundra and Entity at DreamLeague Season 20 and 21.
Falcons, having recently ventured into multiple esports, including seeking a spot in League of Legends’ LEC and forming a new superteam in Counter-Strike 2, is now making a robust entry into Dota 2. The new squad is expected to debut this week and is likely to participate in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) qualifier for ESL One Kuala Lumpur, scheduled for mid-December.