Aurora roster shuffle: 23, Oli, Lorenof out, Kiyotaka in
Aurora has announced significant changes to its Dota 2 roster. The team is making strategic moves in the post-TI 2024 roster shuffle to strengthen its squad ahead of the upcoming season. Let's explore the changes Aurora is making to their team.
Photo: @dota2ti | X23 and Oli leave Aurora
Nuengnara "23" Teeramahanon and Chan "Oli" Chon Kien have parted ways with Aurora after the conclusion of The International 2024 (TI13). The Serbian-based esports organization, currently housing their Dota 2 division in SEA, announced the departures on September 19, 2024, on X.
23 and Oli were instrumental in Aurora’s emergence as a prominent powerhouse in SEA over the past year. Their consistent performances, highlighted by multiple top-8 finishes in major tournaments including TI13, showcased their invaluable contributions to Aurora's success.
While their contributions were significant, Aurora's playstyle often needed to catch up to other teams, hindering their ability to adapt to the fast-paced meta and compete with top-tier squads. Thus, a change was inevitable.
Lorenof is benched
Two days after its initial roster announcement, Aurora made further changes to its Dota 2 squad. Artem "lorenof" Melnick is the third player to leave the team, although his status has changed from active to inactive.
Despite being benched, Lorenof will be allowed to explore options with other teams in the post-TI 2024 roster shuffle. The Ukrainian Dota 2 player impressed the fans with his flashy and impeccable plays, propelling Aurora out of the doom’s pit on multiple occasions.
He’ll be an asset to any team he joins for the upcoming season.
Kiyotaka joins Aurora
Aurora’s new addition Gleb "kiyotaka" Zyryanov is raising many eyebrows. His recruitment to Aurora has generated much speculation but he will be joining the organisation as a streamer.
Regardless of his recruitment, Kiyotaka's reputation as an aggressive mid-laner likely played a role in Aurora's decision to bring him on board. He has the highest average kills per game (9.80) and (11.12) at the Lima Major 2023 and DPC EEU Tour 2, respectively, further solidifying Aurora’s intent to recruit him.
Before joining Aurora, Kiyotaka had a successful stint with 9Pandas, where he consistently performed well in major tournaments and garnered praise for his skills and unique gameplay.
Here’s Aurora’s current Dota 2 roster:
- Jabz
- Q
- Kiyotaka (Streamer)
- Sunbhie (coach)
Stay tuned to BLAST for the latest tea on the post-TI 2024 roster shuffle.