The Head of Tundra Esports Weighs In on Dota 2 Pro Players’ Salaries

Maxim Demin believes that the professional Dota 2 scene is currently overheated, and pro players’ salaries are inflated.

The owner and founder of the esports organization Tundra Esports expressed this opinion in an interview with Cybersport.

“In my view, player salaries have indeed become one of the main problems in the Dota 2 ecosystem. Over the years, significantly more money has flowed into the industry—thanks to sponsors, audience growth, and the emergence of well-funded organizations, especially those backed by betting companies. This has naturally driven up both salaries and buyout fees.

At Tundra Esports, we’ve always tried to pay competitively, but within reasonable limits. We wanted to attract top-tier players and pay market rates while maintaining a sustainable business. It was thanks to our title partner that we were able to compete for the best players on par with the top clubs. That said, I believe the market is quite overheated today. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for organizations without strong commercial backing to compete on a financial level.”

According to Maxim Demin, Tundra Esports has always strived to pay its players competitive yet fair salaries, able to compete for the best players thanks to sponsorship from its main partner. Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly difficult for organizations without substantial financial backing to attract top players.

As a reminder, Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko previously commented on the transfer of the entire Tundra Esports roster to the esports organization 1win Team.