iLTW: TI13, depression, leaving Nigma and regrets about OG

Former professional player, now streamer and content maker Igor “iLTW” Filatov shared his thoughts on the recent The International 13 and revealed some interesting details from his esports career. His revelations are an honest look at the industry, which has changed a lot in recent years.

According to Igor, The International, once the most prestigious Dota 2 tournament, has lost much of its magic. And it’s not just nostalgia: the reduction in prize money and the emergence of other major tournaments such as the Riyadh Masters are eroding TI’s status as the main event of the year. It is now increasingly perceived as just a “major event” rather than something epochal. Despite this, there were moments that still lit a fire in Filatov’s eyes. He especially noted the tense match between Gladiators and Tundra for a place in the grand final. In his opinion, this was the only bright spot of the tournament.

CIS scene: from hopes to disappointments

Speaking about teams from the CIS, iLTW was straightforward. Team Spirit, although they showed character, were unable to realize their potential this time. However, Igor is sure that the guys understand perfectly well what they need to do to win, it’s just that this time “something didn’t work out.” But BetBoom Team and 1WIN were not initially considered by him as contenders for the title. Perhaps they are capable of surprising in the future, but for now their level is clearly not high enough to fight for the championship.

Filatov paid special attention in his story to the period when he was part of Nigma Galaxy. He called leaving the team an inevitable decision, which he does not regret. The atmosphere within the team was extremely tense, which, combined with personal problems, led to a loss of motivation.

“I just didn’t want to play anymore. I stood up and told the manager: ‘Buy me a ticket.’ Perhaps I should have left even earlier,” Igor shared. However, the consequences of this decision made themselves felt: depression caused by a protracted crisis affected not only his career, but his life in general.

Missed Opportunities: OG and Cloud9

After leaving Nigma Galaxy, Filatov had offers from other teams, including such big names as Cloud9 (at that time – Entity Gaming) and the European top club OG. It is the rejection of OG that Igor regrets today. It could have been a turning point in his career, which, alas, he missed.

Today, iLTW actively works as a content maker, and according to him, earnings in this field can be comparable to the income of players from Tier-1 teams. Nevertheless, Filatov humorously notes: “I never ordered black caviar with lobsters, and I still don’t order it.” Such an honest and straightforward approach makes his revelations especially valuable for fans. The story of iLTW is not only about victories and defeats in Dota 2, but also about the importance of listening to yourself and making difficult but correct decisions.