46 Players Banned From Dota 2 Esports Following Cheating Allegations

The Chinese regional Winter Tour of the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) saw some teams accused of cheating. These allegations prompted an investigation, after which 46 players were banned from participating in any Dota 2 Esports events. Team Knights, who had placed third in the tournament, were highlighted as the main offenders, earning them $27,000 and a spot in the Lima Major. 

After allegations of cheating emerged, Perfect World Esports, the regional publishing partner for Valve in China, conducted an investigation that ultimately led to the banning of 46 players. 21 of these were permanent bans, which barred the players from taking part in any official Dota 2 tournament, while 13 were two-year suspensions, and 12 were one-year suspensions. The findings of the investigation and the reasons for the differing penalties were private. 

As the Knights team had rebranded as Antarctic Penguins and changed most of their roster after their performance at the Lima Major, they still technically have their slot in the upcoming Spring Tour regionals in China. However, it is uncertain whether they will participate at this stage. 

Before the 46-player bans, Valve had already issued 40,000 public Dota 2 cheating bans in order to collect all the offending players. It appears that team Knights were included in this wave of bans, though they have just missed being part of the ever-growing list of esports scandals. 

In conclusion, 46 players have been banned from Dota 2 Esports events as a result of cheating allegations in the Chinese regional Winter Tour of the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC). Team Knights, who had placed third in the tournament and were highlighted as the main offenders, earned them $27,000 and a spot in the Lima Major. The findings of the investigation and the reasons for the differing penalties were private.