The two teams will take the places of the Chinese teams Wings Gaming and Newbee, who will not be able to attain visas due to conflicting schedules with another Dota 2 event.
Elements Pro Gaming from Europe and Invictus Gaming from China will replace the two Chinese giants in Dota Pit League Season 5. The two replacements were close to qualifying by finishing second in their respective regions (Europe and China). iG lost to Newbee in the final match of the Chinese qualifier, while Elements Pro Gaming could not handle OG in the first European qualifier.
The International 2016 champions forfeited their participation in the tournament last week. Wings Gaming explained the reasons for not being able to attend in an elaborate Twitter statement. As it turns out, the process for attaining visa for the event would take a long time to process and their attendance in the ESL One Genting is causing conflicts with it.
Dota 2 Pit League will start in two weeks’ time in Split, Croatia between 20th and 22nd January.
Here's the updated team list:
Invictus Gaming (replacement)
Elements Pro Gaming (replacement)
Digital Chaos (invited)
Virtus.Pro (CIS Qualifier)
Team Faceless (SEA Qualifier)
Evil Geniuses (America Qualifier)
OG (Europe Qualifier #1)
Team Secret (Europe Qualifier #2)