Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, the organizer of Games of the Future 2025, has issued an open letter addressing the Dota 2 community after a viral Reddit post from Ukrainian ex-pro Andrey “Ghostik” Kadyk questioned the tournament’s funding and political ties.
The message, published on Phygital International’s official site, attempts to clarify how the event is structured ahead of its Abu Dhabi edition. Ghostik posted on the Dota 2 Subreddit alleging the event’s connection to Russian state initiatives and framing the original 2024 Kazan edition as a propaganda-driven project. His post spread fast across the community, prompting Phygital International to respond directly.
The open letter begins with a greeting to the communities of Dota and phygital sports, signaling that the company understood the widespread reach of the discussion. Hatt wrote: “I want to personally address recent discussions and speculation regarding the funding and delivery of the Games of the Future. Our athlete and Dota communities are known for passion, scrutiny, and commitment to transparency, and it is therefore important we meet that standard and provide clear, factual information to dispel any inaccuracies.”
He explained that “Phygital International itself is headquartered in the UAE and is an independent commercially focused organization entirely funded by acting as the licensor of The Games of the Future to host cities.” He added that “each Games of the Future iteration sees a new host city take temporary ownership of the tournament, under the watchful eye of Phygital International, its custodian and rights-holder.”
Hatt continued by stating that “by its very nature no one country can ever lay claim to the Games of the Future, and each edition is entirely funded locally through revenue streams overseen by the host city and its organizing committee. These include sponsorships, and commercial partnerships. No government funds nor directs the event’s global operations.”
Hatt also provided background on how the annual tournament began. “Before the Games of the Future was launched globally, a testing phase was required to validate what was a completely novel category of sport. Over the course of the last decade 19 cities/nations were considered to host this, and Kazan, Russia offered the most suitable environment to conduct a one-off pilot edition. This was a decision and plan forged years ago. This testing phase allowed us to refine rules, formats, and operations — but it did not in any way confer ownership, influence, or long-term control over the movement.”
Discussing the upcoming edition, he stated: “The Games of the Future 2025 will be held in Abu Dhabi, organized in collaboration with Aspire, Ethara, Abu Dhabi Sports Council and a diverse range of global sponsors, all of whom are publicized on websites and in materials associated with the tournament.”
Hatt ended the letter by reinforcing the organization’s commitment to communication. “We recognize the importance of clarity for participants, teams, fans, and partners, and that is why we are committed to transparent communication about event organization, and openness about funding and partnerships.”
He concluded with appreciation for the player base: “I want to personally thank all in the Dota and greater community for your passion, your questions, and your continued support of the phygital movement.”
The letter was released shortly before Ceb, N0tail, and Topson publicly withdrew from the Monkey Business roster for the event, citing political concerns despite Phygital International’s clarification.
Published: Dec 11, 2025 08:13 am