After weeks of silence following their absence from The International 2025, the Gaimin Gladiators have officially filed a lawsuit against their former Dota 2 roster. According to journalist Richard Lewis, the organization is seeking $7.5 million CAD in damages from the players, alleging financial and contractual breaches that led to significant losses.
The lawsuit was filed in the Ontario court system and lists the following players as defendants: Quinn “Quinn” Callahan, Marcus “Ace” Hoelgaard Christensen, Erik “tOfu” Engel, and Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov.
This is a remarkably steep claim and will likely face revisions as the legal process unfolds. — Credit: Substack (Richard Lewis)Gaimin Gladiators and the Lawsuit: What We Know
This report draws mainly from Richard Lewis’ Substack article, which compiles information from sources familiar with the dispute, as well as public posts on X (Twitter) and Reddit. It’s important to note that parts of the story remain speculative, and future updates or direct quotes should be confirmed via Lewis’ original piece.
Before The International 2025, the Gaimin Gladiators were unable to register a Dota 2 roster due to a breakdown in negotiations between the players’ representatives and the organization. According to Quinn, the players were willing to represent Gaimin Gladiators but were ultimately prevented from doing so.
Following the post from Quinn where he stated GG made a unilateral decision to withdraw from TI, his statement is misleading. We did in fact withdraw the team from TI but this decision was predicated by a request from the team to terminate their contracts with GG so they could…
— GG | Nick Cuccovillo (@GGNickcvillo) August 24, 2025
In response, Nick Cuccovillo, GG’s co-founder, stated that the decision was due to “...a lack of preparedness to successfully achieve the desired outcome at TI, which forced us to make this decision.”
As a result, the Gaimin Gladiators forfeited their direct invite to The International, and Valve replaced them with Yakult Brothers. Even Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling, now a three-time TI champion, publicly questioned the situation once the tournament concluded.
The Organization's Side of the Story
Much of this story was unclear for months, but according to Richard Lewis’ sources, the Gaimin Gladiators’ Dota 2 roster allegedly failed to meet obligations to team sponsors over an extended period. The organization cites two main reasons behind the lawsuit.
1. The Quinn Controversy
The first point centers on Quinn’s 2024 livestream remarks about Russia, which drew significant backlash. Despite an organizational apology and Quinn’s statement afterward, Winline (which seems to be the referred sponsor in this particular story) reportedly decided not to renew their partnership with Gaimin Gladiators once the deal expired.
[embed]https://youtu.be/y14gjbHOmfM[/embed]
This incident allegedly caused substantial financial harm to the organization. According to a statement on Lewis’ reporting, the in the mid-seven figures, a major blow to Gaimin Gladiators’ sponsorship revenue.
2. Missed Deliverables and Contractual Obligations
The second issue involves claims that the players failed to complete sponsorship deliverables for approximately 18 months. These alleged lapses reportedly accumulated into a large financial burden for the organization.
In response, Gaimin Gladiators demanded that the players forfeit a portion of their salaries as a “fine”—a move that further escalated tensions between the two sides. The dispute ultimately culminates in the roster not competing at The International 2025 under the Gaimin Gladiators name or as independents.
If Winline was indeed the sponsor involved in all this, they got a pretty bad deal out of GG. — Credit: gaimingladiatorsAdditionally, the organization stated that the players canceled their planned TI bootcamp less than a week before it was due to start, incurring further losses. A part of their official statement reads:
“...they actually cancelled a bootcamp for The International less than a week before it was due to start, at significant cost to us; threatened on August 4th that they ‘may not perform due to the issues’; and on August 7th communicated that the team wished to exit their agreement and compete at The International independently.”
The Players’ Silence
Richard Lewis also reported that he reached out to the players for their side of the story, but they declined to comment, likely due to ongoing legal counsel. For now, we can only rely on the organization’s claims and the limited context available through public channels.
It’s a disappointing and dramatic turn of events for what was once one of the most successful Dota 2 rosters in recent history. — Credit: Flickr (dota2ti)Despite the silence, the lawsuit will continue through the Canadian court system, and the proceedings will likely reveal more details about the Gaimin Gladiators Dota 2 lawsuit and the events leading up to the roster’s collapse. For now, fans and analysts can only wait to see how both sides present their cases.
The Fallout of the Gaimin Gladiators Dota 2 Lawsuit
This legal conflict marks a rare and significant event in professional Dota 2. Player–organization disputes are not uncommon, but multimillion-dollar lawsuits are almost unheard of in the esports scene. The case could set new precedents for player contracts moving forward.
For the Gaimin Gladiators as an organization, this represents an attempt to recover from financial losses and restore their image after a year filled with controversy. For the players, it’s a serious challenge that could affect their future in competitive Dota 2, depending on how the court rules.
Closing Thoughts
The Gaimin Gladiators Dota 2 lawsuit stands as one of the biggest off-the-field stories in esports this year. What began as a promising, TI-caliber roster has now evolved into a legal battle that could shape how teams and players negotiate in the future.
As of now, all available information comes from Richard Lewis’ investigative reporting, and further updates are expected as court filings progress. Stay tuned to his Substack for direct updates — and keep an eye on our news section for upcoming developments as the case unfolds.
Featured Image Source: Flickr (dota2ti)
