OG release 23savage and xNova, Ceb returns to inactive roster

OG is overhauling its Dota 2 roster once again following an abysmal start to the 2025 season.

Renown two-time Dota 2 champion organisation OG is undergoing a major shakeup to its roster. In a series of announcements, the team revealed it is parting ways with three players: Nuengnara “23savage” Teeramahanon, Jian Wei “xNova-” Yap, and Sébastien “Ceb” Debs. While 23savage and xNova are officially leaving the team, Ceb is being moved to the inactive roster once again.

With three players leaving, OG is now left with two players:

Following the announcements, the departing players left individual messages to conclude their run with the team. Thai carry player, 23savage, thanked the organization for the past five months and revealed his decision to leave, saying, “I decided to part ways with OG for the best of both parties.” His next focus will be finding a team and reaching 16,000 MMR (Matchmaking Rating).

XNova, on the other hand, has opted to take a break, likely due to burnout, ending his six-month tenure with OG. The Malaysian support joins a few other players who have recently stepped back from competitive Dota 2, including Gaimin Gladiators' Melchior “Seleri” Hillenkamp and Tundra Esports' Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov.

Ceb moves away from the active roster (for the fourth time on paper) and shared his plans to focus on content creation while promising to remain involved with the team. Ceb’s departure is also rooted in burnout, according to Johan "N0tail" Sundstein in OG’s latest video.

A foreseeable roster overhaul

It’s no surprise that OG is taking decisive action as we move into the year's second quarter. The lineup has been majorly underperforming despite fielding a star-studded roster including TI champions and top stars from Southeast Asia.

In 2025 so far, OG struggled to qualify for tournaments, only managing to make it to PGL Wallachia Season 3, where they finished in a disappointing last place. To make matters worse, the team also faltered in the Tier 3 online event, Asian Dragon Series: Continental Collision, losing to The MongolZ and Execration, minor names in the scene.

It became clear that the team needed a new variable, a sentiment echoed by OG’s coach, Maurice “KheZu” Gutmann, in OG’s latest video.

“The team needs a change. I think everyone feels and felt the same way because obviously, things didn’t work out. For some individuals, it wasn’t as fun as it should have been because of maybe stress and not being able to see the game in the same way,” Khezu stated. “The overall reason (behind the roster change) is just to change, bring something new and..let the people (that want to try keep moving forward) and the people that want to take a break, obviously they are free to do so.”

Anticipate OG to announce the replacement players soon, as the team gears up for their next challenge, the DreamLeague Season 26 Western European qualifier, set to begin on 1 April.