With all of the returns and comebacks we have seen all throughout the TI group stages, we got the most unexpected return at the TI main stage. Shortly after the best-of-three series between Team Secret and PSG.LGD, the camera seemingly zoomed out of focus for a while. This signaled what was to come next, marking the return of James “2GD” Harding.
A former Quake and World of Warcraft pro player, and one of the most beloved esports personalities in the last decade, 2GD made a shocking return to the TI main stage and fans all over are losing their minds already. A nostalgic face from the past, James Harding was responsible for some of the most entertaining moments in the earlier days of Dota 2 as it gained prominence in the esports world.
Unfortunately, not everyone felt the same way as disaster struck during the Dota 2 Shanghai Majors in 2016. After what Valve perceived as bad taste during the hosts’ panel at the Shanghai Majors, Gabe Newell himself released a statement saying that Valve will no longer be working with 2GD. In Gabe Newell’s own words, he said “James is an ass” before letting him go.
This sparked outrage from fans and players alike, since 2GD was one of the most beloved personalities backstage, with some fans considering his takes and humor to be the reason they even watched professional Dota in the first place. Since that fateful day, James has been away from the Dota 2 pro scene entirely, except for a minor appearance during the Stockholm Major. That is, until today.
With the appearance now being official, prominent Dota 2 breaker of news, Wykrhm Reddy posted this on his Twitter account. This comes off the back of a highly criticized TI by fans, which has led to many people online already speculating if this is a goodwill move by Valve. Regardless, the return of James Harding and his unique brand of humor has brought a lot of smiles to people’s faces, with the memes already rolling in.
2GD’s last appearance for Valve was during the Shanghai Major when Team Secret scored one of their biggest tournament wins. And now, Valve showcased 2GD right after Team Secret’s 2-0 win over PSG.LGD. Coincidence? We think not. Or do we? Only time will tell. For now, we enjoy the welcoming presence of 2GD after all these years and can’t wait to see what other surprises might be in store as this TI progresses further.
