syndereN and SUNSfan commented on the EWC 2026 format and the “Dark Carnival”: highlights from the We Say Things podcast, ep. 296

Casters Troels syndereN Nielsen Lyngholt and Shannon SUNSfan Scotten in the latest episode of the "We Say Things" podcast shared their thoughts on the group stage featuring Bo2 matches and the single-elimination bracket in the playoffs at the Esports World Cup 2026. The commentators also shared their impressions of the first act of the “Dark Carnival”.

About the Esports World Cup 2026 format:

syndereN and SUNSfan noted that the group stage format led to unexpected results. Nigma Galaxy topped its group, while several favorites (Team Liquid, 1WIN Team, and Aurora Gaming) failed to reach the playoffs at all, being eliminated in the survival stage. SUNSfan supported the single-elimination format, as he believes it makes esports more entertaining for a broad audience by delivering drama and unexpected outcomes.

In addition, he suggested cutting the draft time in half, arguing that long pick and ban phases tire viewers, while strong captains and coaches will still be able to adapt quickly. At the same time, syndereN stated that, for him, double-elimination is a far more preferable and appropriate format for major championships.

According to the casters, the true “final” of EWC 2026 in terms of gameplay was the series between PARIVISION and Team Yandex. Most of the playoff matches, which were cast by SUNSfan, struck him as boring and predictable.

About the “Dark Carnival”:

Speaking about the first act of the “Dark Carnival,” syndereN noted that the quality of the storytelling in the event is top-notch and, in his opinion, even better than in the “Crown Fall”. He really likes how Valve’s writers have shifted their focus toward irony, self-deprecation, and humor. The developers went the extra mile and brought in original voice actors for the heroes, recording a massive amount of brand-new dialogue and lines for the current event.

However, within the Dota 2 community, Valve is often criticized for focusing too much on the storylines of the “Dark Carnival” and “Crown Fall”, while the gameplay aspects of these events are rather weak.

Nevertheless, syndereN praised Valve, noting that the event was made with love. In his opinion, this is an excellent response to the criticism in recent years that the developers aren’t putting enough effort into Dota 2. Casters and the community hope that in the next act, Valve will delight players with a full-fledged PvE mode (similar to “Aghanim’s Labyrinth”).

About the record-breaking deal in Dota 2 history:

In conclusion, the commentators discussed the biggest trade in Dota 2 history. The courier Corrupted Platinum Baby Roshan, featuring four slots for ethereal gems, was sold for $300,000. The hosts mentioned an expert analysis explaining that the courier’s value lies in its combination of incredibly rare Legacy gems. The gems feature a unique color scheme from the early days of Dota 2 that is now physically impossible to recreate in the game. Additionally, the courier’s value is enhanced by the presence of four slots for such gems, which could only have been achieved through a bug.

The hosts recalled that this courier previously belonged to a famous collector known as PAADA. SUNSfan noted that PAADA sold this courier around 2015–2016. At the time, the deal was valued at around $80,000. The courier rarely appeared in matches (except for a couple of times at the early The International tournaments) and sat in inventories for years. The commentators added that all the resellers who had handled this courier over the past 10 years made a massive profit.

The casters decided to compare the largest transactions in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike. In this regard, CS significantly outpaced Dota 2 — the hosts found information about the sale of Souvenir AWP | Dragon Lore (Factory New) for $1,100,000.

As a reminder, The International 2026 kicks off on August 13. The Dota 2 Compendium and a balance patch may be released as early as this week.

Earlier, CyberScore presented viewership statistics for EWC 2026 and the community’s opinion on the decline in Dota 2’s popularity.