The opening salvo of the ESL One Birmingham 2024 group stage has delivered an unexpected twist, courtesy of a tense showdown between BetBoom and G2.iG. What began as an interesting clash quickly escalated into controversy, as BetBoom’s cunning maneuver led to a penalty from ESL for exploiting a game bug.
In a gripping opener against G2.iG, BetBoom’s captain, Vitalie “Save-” Melnic, exploited Shadow Demon’s bug by upgrading Shadow Demon’s ultimate ability at an unusually low level – a strategic gambit that aimed to leverage its power in a crucial team fight.
Despite the unfair advantage, BetBoom was locked in a fierce struggle with G2, each side exchanging blows in a high-stakes showdown that raged well into the late game. However, fate took a decisive turn around the 55-minute mark when BetBoom suffered a devastating defeat in its own territory, granting G2 a window of opportunity to clinch victory in that game.
Hot on the heels of their defeat, officials swiftly declared BetBoom in breach of regulations, imposing a level two draft penalty on the team. In a subsequent faceoff, G2 emerged victorious in game 2, relegating BetBoom to the bottom of Group A, trailing just behind Team Liquid.
While BetBoom’s plight underscores the vigilant oversight of tournament officials in stamping out unfair play, the wider community is clamoring for Valve to address the underlying issue before ESL One Birmingham reaches a boiling point.
Echoes of past controversies resurface, such as the swift intervention by Valve during The International 12’s clash between Azure Ray and Thunder Awaken, wherein a bug involving Earth Spirit’s ability prompted an emergency patch. With ESL’s stature as a premier tournament organizer, leveraging pressure on Valve to implement a hotfix should be well within their purview.
In case you missed the surprise this week, some Dota professionals have uncovered an exploit within The Crownfall patch, wherein Shadow Demon can leverage the Aghanim’s Shard to enhance his Demonic Cleanse ability concurrently with Demonic Purge, effectively circumventing the level 18 cap.
