In a tournament game at DOTA 2, the Russian professional player Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko (18) painted a “Z” in the upper left corner of the mini-map. This was interpreted as a sign that he supports Russia’s war in Ukraine. The publisher of DOTA 2, Steam operator Valve, disqualified his team. The team subsequently fired the 18-year-old professional, who claims he was just doodling during a break.
What did the professional do?
- During a tournament in Stockholm, the ESL One Stockholm Major, the 18-year-old Russian “Pure” painted a “Z” in the upper left corner of the DOTA 2 mini-map.
- Team members hurriedly tried to cover up the symbol, but by then it was already too late.
- The “Z” was seen as a sign from Pure supporting Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. The consequences were severe.
The 15-second clip shows the incident:
Z as a Sign that One Supports the War
What does the “Z” mean? The “Z” is seen in the West as a symbol of supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine. The painted “Z” was seen on Russian military vehicles in the first weeks of the war and has since become established as a “pro-Russian” symbol (via Instagram).
It is not entirely clear where this “Z” comes from or what it stands for. There is no such letter in the Russian alphabet. According to various theories, it either means something like “For Victory,” “Onward to the West,” or stands for the name of the Ukrainian president.
Blizzard has already adjusted the hero “Zarya” in Overwatch and removed the symbol there.
Team Disqualified – Allegedly Valve Itself is Behind It
Here are the consequences: The tournament organizers have disqualified Pure’s team. All matches they have already played and would have played are counted for the opponents.
What the player’s team says: The player’s esports organization, Virtus.pro, says they have learned that the “publisher of DOTA 2,” Valve itself, is behind the decision to exclude the team from the tournament. They say:
Valve has a certain history of imposing disciplinary actions, but disqualifying an entire team from a tournament because a single player drew something on a mini-map sets entirely new standards.
Nevertheless, Virtus.pro has decided to take action and has fired the player Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko. It is said that his action led to the disqualification and caused “significant damage” to Virtus.pro’s relationship with global esports.
– Ukraine Live Blog (via Zeit)
– War in Ukraine (via NZZ)
– Solidarity with Ukraine (via Federal Foreign Office)
Important Note: If you are having dark thoughts due to the current situation: You are not alone. Please seek help. For example, from the telephone counseling service at 0800/111 0 111 or the online counseling, where you can also use chat. This is free and applicable nationwide.
What the player says: The player says (via Twitter), there was a long break in the game and he and the guys were talking and doodling a little on the map. When they realized what he had really drawn, they quickly tried to cover it up.
He did not intend to hurt anyone. It happened by accident. He wishes everyone peace.
The war in Ukraine repeatedly touches on themes related to gaming:
Escape from Tarkov: 230,000 watch moving video of a Twitch streamer fleeing from the war
