2GD fired from the Shanghai Major mid-series, no explanation given by Valve and Perfect World

James “2GD” Harding, the host of the Shanghai Major, was fired mid-series on the second day of the Shanghai Major group stage. According to Harding’s social media reports, he was fired during the Team Secret vs. ViCi Gaming series, in the two-hour pause time, and the decision was made by Valve, not Perfect World. Harding was invited to host the event after Paul “ReDeYe” Chaloner had sit in the host chair at both The International 5 and the Frankfurt Major.

Sorry to say I won't be returning to the Shanghai major, I was let go after that last segment. We'll always have day 1 together. 🙁

— James Harding (@follow2GD) February 26, 2016

James “2GD” Harding broke the news that he had been let go from his hosting duties at the Shanghai Major via Twitter. No details have been provided as to the specific reason for his dismissal, but it has been surmised that during the two-hour long pause, production requested the panel to “take a break”, while Harding did not comply and continued to host. Speculation has also pointed to his strong language and offhand comments during the panel discussions.

At the end of January, it was announced that James “2GD” Harding would assume the hosting role at the Shanghai Major. Harding had been absent from the scene for the most part since TI4. His return marked a momentous occasion for GD Studios fans.

Polar opposite in hosting style to Paul “ReDeYe” Chaloner, Harding was asked to host the Shanghai Major. Chaloner hosted both TI5 and the Frankfurt Major and it was assumed that Valve wanted to try a different approach for the Shanghai Major.

Harding noted to fans that the decision was made by Valve directly, and Perfect World had nothing to do with it. It appears that Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden will be taking over the hosting role for the time being. There has been no official announcement yet from Valve or Perfect World.

Regarding the Reddit thread comments, it was valves decision. before the event, I was told to be myself. 🙁

— James Harding (@follow2GD) February 26, 2016

Harding founded the GD Studio in 2012. He hosts The GD Show, a self-described “no fluff” eSports talk-show. The project’s mission in the words of 2GD is “to start a side project that helps Twitch.TV, helps esports [and] gives opportunities to commentators”. He is well known for his off beat antics and comments, as well as for his dry humor.

DotaBlast will keep following the subject and update this article with developments, should we have any.

Shanghai Major production issues

Only two days into the Shanghai Major Group Stage, the event organized by Perfect World has already been experiencing significant production issues.

Hours of downtime, horrible sound quality, bad lighting, technical issues, and lack of communication are just some among the list of complaints regarding the event.

Before the first day began, Perfect World ordered new monitors for the players after an outcry from the teams about the compromised quality and experience.