Valve sent a warning to all The International 2025 participants. Photo

The teams participating in The International 2025 received welcome letters from Valve, in which the Dota 2 developers reminded players about responsibility for breaking rules, using bugs, and emphasized that participants are strictly prohibited from betting—even on themselves.

The letter was shared by Luka “Lukawa” Nasuashvili, manager of BetBoom Team, in his Telegram channel.

“Welcome to The International.

For fifteen years now, this tournament has crowned the best Dota 2 team of the year. Some of you are here for the first time — welcome; others are returning after a year or even several years — welcome back. On this stage, everyone starts on equal footing, and you are just days away from either undeniable triumph or tragic defeat.

You have achieved something remarkable: over the past year, more than fifteen million Steam users played Dota 2 around the world, and you are among the top 0.0005% of players from the strongest teams on the planet.

Here are a few key principles to remember during The International:

You are professionals. You represent yourselves, your team, the Dota 2 community, and esports as a whole. Think carefully about your words when making public statements — whether in an interview, a social media post, or a conversation with a fan at the arena. Remember, The International is watched not only by millions of Dota players but also by their friends, families, and newcomers to the game. Use your influence wisely.

Each team has a private channel on the tournament’s Discord server, monitored by TI staff, including support staff, game administrators, and Valve employees. For any questions about the game or the event, please use this channel first — both between matches and during them. If you notice someone being treated unfairly, let us know. If you are sick, let us know. If you encounter a bug or issue in the game, let us know.

Competitive integrity comes first. Do not place bets on TI games or matches, even if your team is not involved. Do not collude with other players or organizations. Always play to win — whether it’s the first playoff game or the final of the grand finals. If you are unsure whether a certain game mechanic is an exploit or a bug, ask in your tournament channel before using it. If it works as intended, we won’t share your strategy with opponents. If it’s a bug, we’ll inform all teams that it’s banned.

We will not tolerate discrimination, abusive behavior, or offensive language. Treat everyone with respect — Valve staff, organizers, studio workers, other teams, and tournament attendees.

You have earned your place among a select group of prestigious participants, in a history that spans fifteen years. This year, as always, there will be room on the Aegis for only one team, and we wish good luck to all of you. Be proud of what you’ve achieved. Play well and enjoy the experience. See you on stage.

Valve”

This year, Valve decided not to issue separate letters for each team, instead publishing a single unified message for all participants. It is noted that every roster will be able to communicate directly with Valve representatives via a dedicated chat channel.

Credits: Telegram/lukawahouse

Earlier, Team Spirit shared their arrival at The International 2025, but Denis “Larl” Sigitov was not seen with them.