Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year at the Esports Awards was recently won by Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak, who is a Midlaner for Team Falcons. Nevertheless, this recognition quickly turned controversial. The Dota 2 community was celebrating while CS2 fans were vocal about their opinion that Donk Kryshkovets, the standout in the CS2 scene should have been awarded.
Many also felt that Donk’s stunning performance throughout 2024 made him a legitimate winner; moreover, his stats were out of this world and he set an HLTV rating record equaling that at IEM Katowice when he had some outstanding performances there that were among his best. This has led to a heated debate on social media with fans and prominent Dota 2 personalities chiming in.
Fans Clash Over Malr1ne’s Victory Amidst Backlash
Different people had different reactions to Malr1ne’s win. Some congratulated the Dota 2 player on his wins while many insisted that the award should have gone to Donk who had an awesome year in CS2. They based their argument on the fact that he performed very well at IEM Katowice 2024 where he had a staggering HLTV rating of 1.70. Moreover, they noted his consistency throughout the year and how many MVP awards he received so from their perspective, it was cut and dry.
But this wave of resistance did not end there. Some people even went to question the fame of Malr1ne by looking at his relatively low social media following as an indication of how much less of an impact he has had on the esports scene compared to what is being said about him out there. For instance, comments like “Who is this lol” were all over making people doubt whether he deserved it or not.
The winner of the Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year award is…@Malr1ne_
— Esports Awards (@esportsawards) August 24, 2024
Congratulations! 🏆#EsportsAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/KoMli3Me4W
Dota 2 community rallies behind Malr1ne
Many Dota 2 personalities immediately came to the defense of Malr1ne. Significantly, his colleague, skitter, a TI champion and a carry player for Team Falcons, replied negatively and defended the prize that was given to Malr1ne. Ephey, a Dota 2 analyst and streamer, also weighed in with some shady remarks.
The Dota 2 community noted how exceptional his rise in the esports scene has been. After initially struggling in the tier 2 scene, he emerged as one of Team Falcons’ key players during their successful campaign in 2024. He is one of the most thrilling players to watch due to his aggressive style of play and ability to outperform veteran Midlaners which have earned him a place among the world’s best.
