SumaiL loses ‘breach of contract’ lawsuit against Evil Geniuses on all counts

Former Evil Geniuses Dota 2 star Syed “SumaiL” Hassan has lost his case regarding a breach of contract and other allegations against the organization and Peak6 on all counts following more than two years of legal proceedings.

First reported in March 2023 by Richard Lewis, legal documents detailing an ongoing lawsuit between SumaiL and EG centered around allegations that the org “took advantage of a young, naïve and vulnerable” player when dealing with contract negotiations, ownership in the company, and buyouts. The case was taken to trial in February, and a verdict levied by the presiding jury on March 1 ruled in favor of EG and Peak6 while citing that neither group needed to answer for these claims, according to Lewis.

At its core, this case saw SumaiL and his legal team seeking damages for how Peak6 purchasing EG in 2019 impacted the player’s 400,000 share ownership stake in the company by converting his stock into mixed options while Peak6 members were prioritized for the “valuable preferred stock.” Additionally, the lawsuit brought up multiple instances of EG trying to leverage SumaiL’s contract against him post-The International 2019 when he was moved to the org’s inactive Dota 2 roster. 

In one such instance, a “mutual release” option was offered, which his lawyers cited as impacting his ownership stake with “harsh, unwarranted and draconian obligations and forfeitures.” SumaiL’s legal team also alleges he was “coerced” into signing some form of that termination agreement. Once SumaiL officially left EG in January 2020, company ownership reportedly offered to purchase his ownership stock for a staggered $1 million payment—only if the Dota pro retired from competing. 

In the end, EG denied all of SumaiL’s allegations, and the player refused to comply with a majority of the company’s 26 “requests for admission” in the initial response, leading the case to a full trial in which the player was seeking reparations for never having “received any value whatsoever for his shares and/or units.” The jury favored EG and its ownership on all counts, including breach of contract, false misrepresentation, and more with its verdict.

SumaiL has continued his Dota career and has played for Nigma Galaxy during this legal battle. EG has, meanwhile, left the game’s competitive scene behind for the first time since signing a team in 2012.