Team Liquid sign Ace and tOfu ahead of the new Dota 2 season

From rivals to comrades, Ace and tOfu join Team Liquid for the new season.

The post-The International (TI) 2025 period has been hectic for the two-time TI winning organisation Team Liquid. First, they parted ways with offlaner Jonáš “SabeRLighT-” Volek, and, soon after, bid an emotional farewell to long-time captain Aydin “iNsania” Sarkohi, who announced his retirement from professional Dota 2.

With the new season rapidly approaching and their next tournament beginning imminently, Liquid had to quickly finalise its roster. On 9 October, the organisation officially announced the signing of former Gaimin Gladiators players, Marcus “Ace” Hoelgaard and Erik “tOfu” Engel, who will take over the offlane and position 5 support roles, respectively.

Team Liquid’s Dota 2 roster is now as follows:

Team Liquid is one of the most successful organisations in Dota 2 history, now boasting two TI titles and countless high-level finishes. However, their TI 2025 run ended on a sour note, as they failed to defend their title and exited with a disappointing 9th–13th place finish.

Heading into the new season, Liquid has undergone significant changes: SabeRLight has moved on to join AVULUS, and Insania has stepped away from competition, retiring after a decade-long career. In their place, the team welcomes two former rivals.

Ace and tOfu join Team Liquid for the new season

In a pleasant twist, Ace and tOfu–key laning partners of the Gaimin Gladiators roster that once stood in fierce opposition to Team Liquid–have now joined forces with their former rivals for the 2025/2026 campaign.

From 2022 to 2024, Gaimin Gladiators and Team Liquid developed one of the most iconic rivalries in modern Dota 2. The Gladiators had triumphed over Liquid in the finals of six major events, including three Dota 2 Majors in 2023. But the rivalry flipped in 2024, when Team Liquid finally lifted the Aegis at TI, securing their long-awaited victory.

Unfortunately, both organisations faced hardships in 2025. Despite two LAN wins at PGL Wallachia, Team Liquid’s TI campaign fell flat, ending much earlier than expected. Gaimin Gladiators, on the other hand, never made it to TI despite earning a direct invite. The organisation had made an unprecedented withdrawal from the championship following a public dispute between them and the players.

A rough end to an era

With the two players joining a new team, it's clear that Gaimin Gladiators' former roster has disbanded. The team also appears unlikely to field a Dota 2 roster in the near future, as they are currently in the midst of a lawsuit, recently suing several former Dota 2 players–including Ace and tOfu. This marks a tumultuous and devastating final chapter for one of the most dominant teams in Dota 2 history. Their signing with Team Liquid officially closes the book on Gaimin Gladiators’ legendary run.

But an even more exciting chapter lies ahead as they now represent the iconic blue team.

What’s next for Team Liquid

Team Liquid has a packed schedule to close out the year. The team is currently debuting their new roster at FISSURE Universe: Episode 7, and they’re also set to compete in BLAST Slam IV, PGL Wallachia Season 6, BLAST Slam V, and DreamLeague Season 27.

The team’s head coach, William “BlitZ” Lee, also revealed that they are still in the process of finding a new coach following Damien “kpii” Chok's departure. He hinted at the possibility of Insania taking on the role, though nothing has been confirmed yet.