Dota 2 League changes its logo: potentially contravening Ukrainian law

EPICENTER had to change its tournament logo after reports of a potential violation of Ukrainian law, as Esports.gg reports. Valve, which sent the request, feared The Pudge, featuring the hero’s face with a soviet-style motif, used in the Eastern European Dota Pro Circuit Tour 1 during this opening week, was promoting communism. And the promotion of communism is strictly banned in Ukraine.

What’s wrong with the logo

A cursory search reveals that the DPC EEU logo was inspired by the logo of the Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization—effectively a Boy Scouts-style organization that existed within the Soviet Union. You can see the comparison between these two logos below.

According to EPICENTER, they had acquired a “legal opinion confirming that the logo is not communist symbols and does not promote anything.” However, they decided to change the logo. Now it is going to be just a plain and a far less controversial “E” logo, as stated in the official tweet.

Why does Valve even care?

Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union for much of the 20th century before the independence declaration in 1991. Soviet and Communist symbols are strictly policed in the country nowadays. That’s why Dota 2 League had to change its logo – to avoid any controversy.

According to Esports.gg, Valve is most likely just playing things incredibly safe. The EEU, or CIS, is a Dota 2 powerhouse, in terms of both playerbase and competitive scene. Doing anything that might get them kicked out of Ukraine is not the best idea.

By the way, Ukrainian Na’Vi (Natus Vincere) also participates in Dota 2 League in the upper division.