Dota 2 tournament organizer, PGL enforces new guideline to restrict toxic interactions among pro players in their tournament rulebook. This came as a shocking revelation for Dota 2 fans and pros as well since the banter and all-chat interactions have always been part of the game’s spirit.
The new rules are reportedly part of a wider move to limit all chat toxicity in pro games. However, fans and pros have criticised the move as ‘un-Dota-like.’
New rule on all chat by PGL (Image credit: PGL)
PGL’s latest official rulebook conditions on ‘all chat messages’
The folks behind some of the largest Dota 2 tournaments in 2025, such as PGL Wallachia and the International 2025 (TI14), have added new rules that states:
Players should limit their use of in-game all chat to only ‘wishing their opponents good luck (“GLHF”) at the start of the game and a ‘GG’ or good game at the conclusion of the match. Additionally, to really get the message across to the pro players, they warned that excessive or unnecessary chat beyond the mentioned instance are discouraged. Whereby, repeated or inappropriate use of in-game chat may result in warnings or penalties at the discretion of PGL’s administration.
Additionally, to really get the message across to the pro players, they warned that excessive or unnecessary chat beyond the mentioned instance are discouraged. Whereby, repeated or inappropriate use of in-game chat may result in warnings or penalties at the discretion of PGL’s administration.
New rule on all chat by PGL (Image credit: PGL)
Why did PGL add this new rule?
Clearly, PGL wants to enforce that participating Dota 2 teams at their tournament to be friendly with one another, preferably without any beef. However, at the cost of any form of friendly banter or inside jokes that many teams might have among themselves.
Yet, it doesn’t seem absurd of PGL to enforce this new rule, especially since toxic all chat incidents have become quite the norm recently.
Infamous Dota 2 pro players known for being toxic
Arguably the most infamous pro player known for being toxic is Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf, where his antics have even led to an altercation with another pro player, Akbar “SoNNeikO” Butaev. The incident happened physically at PGL Wallachia S2. And frankly, perhaps this incident alone was sufficient for PGL to justify the new all chat rule at their upcoming PGL Wallachia S4, where Team Falcons and AVULUS are present.
In another instance, the Team Falcons player also has beef with Aurora Gaming’s Alexander “TORONTOTOKYO” Khertek. The latter toxically wrote he would “f*ck him today” at DreamLeague Season 22. Although Ammar has clarified that this was merely banter and they were good friends, it’s still unprofessional to write such a slur in all chat during an official match.
Another toxic pro player participating at PGL Wallachia S4 is PARIVISION‘s Edgar ‘9Class’ Nalchikyan. The young player has beef with Team OG, such that Sébastien “Ceb” Debs shared that his toxic behavior in pubs made them consider not recruiting him into the team.
Nevertheless, PGL did not prohibit the use of available Dota 2 features, such as tipping or using voice lines. Despite being harmless features in the game, many pro players have used them and even interpreted the use or spam of tipping or voice lines as a sign of disrespect and toxicity.
What’s more, this new rule update could become the norm for Dota 2, with many predicting that all-chat and toxic behaviour will be legislated out of the Dota 2 scene forever. Only time can tell if that prediction holds true.
