The South American Dota 2 scene continues to struggle as paiN Gaming makes a swift exit.
Prominent South American esports organisation 
paiN Gaming has stepped away from competitive Dota 2 just two months after its hopeful return. The organisation cited structural challenges and sustainability concerns as the primary reasons for pulling the plug on its Dota 2 operations.
“Throughout this journey, we conducted a careful evaluation of the project as a whole and came to the understanding that this is the right moment to close this chapter, considering the demands, structural challenges, and the need to ensure the project’s sustainability in order to remain at the highest competitive level,” paiN Gaming said in its farewell statement.
As a result, the team has parted ways with its star-studded Peruvian roster, releasing 
Máximo “Wits” Alza, Gonzalo “DarkMago” Herrera, Frank “Frank” Arias, Elvis “Scofield” De la Cruz Peña, and Yelstin “elmisho” Verde, along with its management staff. The organisation has not disclosed any plans to return to the title in the near future, though it has left the possibility open.
What happened to paiN Gaming?
Back in February, paiN Gaming made an unexpected return to the Dota 2 scene after a six-year absence from the scene. The organisation signed the Perú Rejects stack, featuring prominent players such as
David Nicho “Parker” Flores and Scofield. At that time, the squad had just defeated regional top dog 
HEROIC in back-to-back qualifiers for DreamLeague Season 28 and ESL One Birmingham–notably in dominant fashion.
The roster showed clear potential to break into the Tier 1 scene. However, just two weeks after the signing, paiN Gaming encountered internal issues, benching Parker during DreamLeague Season 28 due to behavioural concerns. This was not the first time the young talent had faced such problems, having struggled to remain with previous teams seemingly for similar reasons.
Parker remained benched for ESL One Birmingham, with Wits stepping in as his replacement. However, a disappointing 11th–12th place finish ultimately led paiN Gaming to conclude that the project was not worth the growing demands.
What is paiN Gaming’s history in Dota 2
paiN Gaming has a long history in competitive Dota 2, dating back to 2011, when it emerged as a major Brazilian powerhouse. The team reached its peak during the 2018–2019 period, securing a top-four finish at ESL One Birmingham 2018 and qualifying for The International for the first time that same year.
However, the team’s momentum was disrupted by the 2020 pandemic, which saw the cancellation of numerous events, including the world championship itself. This ultimately resulted in the organisation’s departure from competitive Dota 2, a hiatus that lasted six years–until its brief return earlier this year.
Another step back for South America
South America continues to face challenges in sustaining a stable competitive ecosystem. Several major organisations have either relocated or withdrawn from the region, despite the presence of strong individual talent.
These difficulties have persisted since the end of the Dota Pro Circuit in 2022, which was followed by the disappearance of teams like 
Thunder Awaken, as well as the departures of 
beastcoast, then 
M80, and other organisations that briefly tested the waters in the region, including 
Evil Geniuses, 
Alliance LATAM, and 
OG.LATAM.
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