PARIVISION`s midlaner, Vladimir “No[o]ne” Minenko, shared his perspective on the current state of top Dota 2 teams during a recent stream.
Minenko suggested that the elite level of Dota 2 now features a pool of six, potentially seven, top teams, highlighting Aurora as a new addition capable of winning tournaments. While acknowledging there might be slight performance differences or “gaps” between *specific* teams within this pool (for instance, contrasting a consistent top-3 team like his own PARIVISION with Aurora, or Tundra with Aurora), he strongly emphasized the core point: “There is virtually no skill gap among tier-1 teams anymore.” He attributed this to players having become exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable about every detail of the game. Unlike in the past, when unconventional picks could catch opponents off guard (like his example of Necrophos at an older International), teams today are prepared for virtually any hero or situation. Consequently, he argued, success at the highest level is determined less by raw skill difference and more by factors like individual player mood and preparation, the tournament meta, team cohesion and `vibe`, and how teams adapt from one event to the next.
The next tournament for Minenko and PARIVISION will be DreamLeague Season 26. This online event is scheduled from May 19 to June 1, featuring a $750,000 prize pool and 29,200 ESL Pro Tour points. It stands as the final ranking tournament of the third EPT season before Riyadh Masters 2025.