Professional Dota 2 player Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov, known for his aggressive carry play with Gaimin Gladiators, recently offered a surprisingly blunt assessment of certain teams` entertainment value during a live stream. His targets? China`s Xtreme Gaming and Southeast Asia`s Talon Esports, whom he labeled, with straightforward candor, as the “most boring teams” to watch from a spectator`s point of view.
Dyrachyo`s criticism wasn`t aimed at their competitive skill or tournament results, but purely at their strategic approach and its impact on the viewing experience. He specifically highlighted their perceived propensity for drawn-out games and a heavy reliance on late-game hero scaling and passive farming. “I honestly never liked watching Xtreme games,” Shkredov remarked. “I think they are super low skill [likely referring to the low level of *action* or *viewer thrill*] and super boring… they were, and always Talon, because Talon always played for more than an hour… it was very disgusting for me to watch.”
He elaborated on the typical pattern he finds tedious: “They always dragged it out. That was their thing: `Okay, we`ll farm for an hour, we`ll pick super late heroes somewhere, we`ll farm forever, and then we`ll be able to fight properly.`” He specifically cited Xtreme Gaming`s star carry, Ame, as an archetype of this style: “Ame, who will be hitting creeps for 40 minutes on the three [carry] position to come out later on six slots to fight – it was just always disgusting for me to watch, I don`t know. Who enjoys watching that?”
This slow, calculated approach, prioritizing maximum farm and late-game power spikes over early-to-mid game skirmishes and dynamic plays, is a well-established strategic choice in Dota 2. It can be highly effective, especially against teams less disciplined in punishing passive play. However, as dyrachyo points out, watching heroes clear neutral camps for extended periods rarely makes for highlight reels or edge-of-your-seat entertainment. The irony is that these “boring” strategies can lead to dominant, strategically sound victories.
He drew a clear contrast with teams he *does* find engaging, citing Team Liquid as an example. “It`s cool to watch Liquid, for example, or teams that surprise or play differently sometimes, but not them.” This highlights a common tension within competitive esports: the most *efficient* or *strategically optimal* path to victory isn`t always the most *entertaining* for the audience. Teams that constantly switch up strategies, take calculated risks, and engage in early fights often provide a more dynamic and watchable experience.
Dyrachyo`s candid remarks, openly shared on his stream, offer a valuable glimpse into the pro player`s perspective on game spectacle versus strategic pragmatism. It serves as a blunt reminder that even at the pinnacle of competitive Dota 2, the debate between strategic optimization and viewer entertainment remains a relevant, and sometimes very directly expressed, point of discussion within the community.
Wesley Dunham 
Gilbert Pendleton