Valve's recent crackdown on smurfing in Dota 2 has surprised the entire Dota 2 community. Over the last 48 hours, several professional players found themselves stripped of their alternate accounts. Adding to the unfolding saga, ESL has just introduced a significant rule change on 18th January, suggesting that more severe consequences may be on the horizon.

ESL Gains the Authority to Deny Entry to Players Banned by Valve

The ripple effect of Valve's smurfing bans raises concerns among Dota 2 enthusiasts regarding the potential impact on players' professional trajectories. ESL's latest ruling adds an extra layer of complexity, potentially barring players from participating in upcoming tournaments.

Under the new guidelines, ESL gains the authority to deny entry to players banned by Valve. However, there's a caveat – if the VAC ban is unrelated to competitive play, there's a chance for a reprieve. The condition? The player must utilize a fresh account with an unblemished history, free from any suspicions of account sharing.

While ESL aligns its punitive measures with Valve's crackdown, collaboration with the game developer is likely to be ongoing. The gravity of account bans, which could spell the end of a player's career in the past when Valve orchestrated most competitions, now hinges on the nature of the offense.

These revised rules introduce an element of flexibility, recognizing that errors can occur. The severity of bans will depend on the specific circumstances. Smurfing and account sharing, contentious issues within the Dota 2 professional scene, have always faced backlash. Yet, players staunchly defended these practices, citing lengthy queue times as justification.

Even renowned players like Amer "Miracle-" Al-Barkawi were not spared in this smurfing purge, losing access to his esteemed top 15 ranked account. Valve's emphasis on a single account per player signals a paradigm shift, emphasizing a level playing field without room for excuses based on rank or MMR.