Lelis officially leaves Quincy Crew, hints at further major changes

We knew changes were coming, but this looks like it might be something huge.
Photo via Valve

Quincy Crew were one of North America’s top performers over the last two years in the competitive Dota 2 scene, but the first of several moves is already shaking the roster to its core. Rodrigo “Lelis” Santos departed the team today to explore his options. 

Recommended Videos

Team manager Jack Chen previously confirmed that QC would see significant changes before the next season. They might be more significant than many fans first thought, however, based on Lelis’ announcement and the official QC Twitter account noting that his update provides a deeper look at what the future may hold for the organization’s roster.

“TI was a wonderful experience for me and I am very happy to have reached my goal/objective of getting to compete at TI,” Lelis said. “Of course, I would like to win and hold the Aegis, but that’s another step … As for now we are parting ways on QCY and I am evaluating my best options.”

The Brazilian–American player joined QC last June after standing in for the team at ESL One Birmingham 2020 and helping them win the NA/SA regional bracket. From there, QC remained the second-best team in NA, consistently pressuring Evil Geniuses and becoming a staple of international competitions when they returned. 

However, when they did attend events like the ONE Esports Singapore Major or WePlay AniMajor, they could never place higher than fifth. That lack of top-tier success came to a peak during the group stage of The International 10, where the team barely survived until the main stage and then fell to OG in round two of the lower bracket, exiting in a tie for ninth and underperforming their own expectations. 

Related: Team Spirit shock the world, beat PSG.LGD to win The International 10

Because of that performance, Lelis notes that the team disbanding to some extent was “inevitable” in his eyes because they grinded for so long and still failed to reach their overall goals. 

“Our performance at TI was a bit lackluster especially in the group stage, but we managed to crawl out of the dumpster and collect some wins in the end,” Lelis said. “It wasn’t all that bad and some teams would have probably crumbled in our situation. I am very proud and happy we managed to pull through and survive the groups and win our bo1.”

Lelis plans to start streaming again soon as he works toward a decision on where he will play during the next Dota Pro Circuit season, and fans will have to wait to see which form QC will return in—if at all.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Elite League Dota 2 2024: Tournament schedule, results, streams, and more
The Elite League logo transposed on a background of Dota 2 heroes.
Read Article Valve will finally help you dodge toxic Dota 2 players, but it’s going to cost you
Vengeful Spirit and Underlord in Dota 2
Read Article Not another letter patch: Dota 2 players left disappointed by Patch 7.35d’s small changes
Omniknight in Dota 2 versus Pudge and Witch Doctor
Related Content
Read Article Elite League Dota 2 2024: Tournament schedule, results, streams, and more
The Elite League logo transposed on a background of Dota 2 heroes.
Read Article Valve will finally help you dodge toxic Dota 2 players, but it’s going to cost you
Vengeful Spirit and Underlord in Dota 2
Read Article Not another letter patch: Dota 2 players left disappointed by Patch 7.35d’s small changes
Omniknight in Dota 2 versus Pudge and Witch Doctor
Author
Cale Michael
Lead Staff Writer for Dota 2, the FGC, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and more who has been writing for Dot Esports since 2018. Graduated with a degree in Journalism from Oklahoma Christian University and also previously covered the NBA. You can usually find him writing, reading, or watching an FGC tournament.