Yakutou Brothers announced as Gaimin Gladiators' replacements at The International 2025

Chinese team Yakutou Brothers will unexpectedly head to TI 2025 in Hamburg, Germany, to replace Gaimin Gladiators.

The suspense is over in the Dota 2 scene. Valve has officially named Chinese team Yakutou Brothers (also known as Yakult Brothers) as the replacement for Gaimin Gladiators at The International (TI) 2025, this year's world championship tournament.

This unprecedented, last-minute change to TI’s lineup follows an internal conflict between the Western European (WEU) organisation Gaimin Gladiators and its Dota 2 roster, leading to a shocking withdrawal just two weeks before the event is set to begin.

While most of the community criticized the organisation for preventing its directly-invited players from competing, Valve moved quickly to find a suitable replacement and complete TI 2025's 16-team lineup.

Now, just a week before TI 2025 kicks off, Yakutou Brothers are unexpectedly headed to the big stage in Hamburg, Germany. Some fans are debating the decision, with many suggesting that OG would have been a more fitting choice, as they are another WEU team that placed third in the WEU regional qualifier.

However, others have countered that since Gaimin Gladiators received a direct invite, regional criteria may not apply. Additionally, Yakutou Brothers boast a stronger track record this season and finished second in the Chinese qualifier, making them a credible replacement.

TI 2025 welcomes the Yakutou Brothers

Yakutou Brothers’ roster for The International 2025:

Yakutou Brothers is a roster of regional stars, formed in the aftermath of the previous Dota 2 season. The team quickly made waves on the top-tier stage, securing a Top 6 finish at BetBoom Dacha Belgrade in a smashing debut. They also qualified for DreamLeague Season 25, finishing above China’s heavyweights in Team Tidebound and Xtreme Gaming.

However, as the season progressed, the team struggled to keep up with their Chinese rivals and missed out on qualifying for several other major events. Despite the setbacks, Yakutou Brothers continued to impress with scattered strong finishes—Top 6 at BLAST Slam II and Top 6 at DreamLeague Season 26.

Although Yakult Brothers is a relatively new team in the scene, individually, these players are no strangers to Dota 2’s biggest stage. Flyfly, Emo, and Oli have played together under the Invictus Gaming banner, placing fourth at TI 2021. Meanwhile, BoBoKa also achieved a Top 4 finish at TI 2022 with Team Aster. Beyond is also a TI attendee, finishing TI 2024 in 13th-16th place with Team Zero.

Yakutou Brothers will join the world’s best teams in Hamburg, Germany, from 4 to 14 September. The teams will clash for a coveted slice of TI’s prize pool, which now stands at $2 million and will continue to grow via Supporter’s Bundle sales. But more importantly, each team will be battling for the ultimate honor—lifting the Aegis of Champions and claiming the title of world champion.

For more information on the biggest Dota 2 tournament of the year, check out GosuGamers' guide to this year's Dota 2 world championship tournament and TI 2025 tournament tracker.