Renowned North American carry player Artour “Arteezy” Babaev has made the decision to step down from his position at Shopify Rebellion. Arteezy, a multiple-time Major champion and one of the most well-known NA Dota 2 players, announced his departure from the starting roster on the evening of July 23.
In his statement, Arteezy mentioned that leading a new team proved to be more challenging than he anticipated. After streaming and discussing with friends, he is contemplating taking a break from the competitive gaming scene.
Image Credit: Artour “Arteezy” Babaev
During his time with Shopify Rebellion, the team initially carried on the successful legacy of Evil Geniuses, which Arteezy, along with long-time teammates Abed “Abed” Yusop, Jonáš “SabeRLight-” Volek, Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen, and Tal “Fly” Aizik, had built.
However, after The International in 2023, Abed, Cr1t-, and Fly left the team to pursue success elsewhere. Arteezy faced challenges with the remaining roster, leading to his departure from SabeRLight- earlier this year. Shopify Rebellion’s performance over the past year has declined, missing out on The International and several Major events in 2024.
Arteezy has been a fixture in the North American Dota 2 scene, showcasing his talent as a rising star and a versatile player for top teams like Team Secret and Evil Geniuses. Despite winning multiple Majors, Arteezy has yet to claim victory at The International.
Image Credit: PGL
The future for Arteezy remains uncertain. One possibility is focusing on streaming, as he entered into a lucrative streaming deal with Kick in November 2023 to stream Dota 2 on their platform.
Additionally, Arteezy hinted at a potential move to Europe to seek stronger competition. This mirrors the path taken by fellow NA player Quinn Callahan, who moved to Europe with Gaimin Gladiators and quickly found success.
In closing his announcement, Arteezy acknowledged the Shopify Rebellion organization and specifically thanked founder Jeremy Steeves, drawing parallels to Evil Geniuses’ founder Alex Garfield.
As one of the most popular and influential players in the scene, Arteezy’s next steps are sure to attract significant attention.
