Dendi sets record for most games played with one team

Danil “Dendi” Ishutin has broken the all-time record for most games played with the same Dota 2 club. Having joined Natus Vincere on December 25, 2010, the totemic mid-laner is in his sixth year of loyal service for the Ukrainian organization and has played 1039 games under the black and yellow banner, so far. The previous record holder was Airat “Silent” Gaziev, who played 1037 games for Team Empire and is now registered at Virtus.Pro.

In a scene in constant motion, roster changes are considered the norm. Seldom do we see players serve for years on end with one team, not tempted by their curiosities of whether the creeps grow fatter elsewhere. Danil “Dendi” Ishutin falls into “the rarest of breeds” category.

According to datdota, Dendi has played 1039 games under the Natus Vincere banner – the most official appearances by a Dota 2 player with the same team.

The previous record holder was Airat “Silent” Gaziev, who played 1037 games for Team Empire. Silent left Team Empire on December 2nd, 2015, and is currently registered at Virtus.Pro.

Dendi broke the record during Na’Vi’s series against Polarity in the EPICENTER Moscow European Qualifiers, earlier today, and now stands tall with 1039 games and counting.

Legendary carry player Alexandr “XBOCT” Dashkevych – who joined Natus Vincere slightly earlier than Dendi and parted ways with the organization on October 16, 2015 – played a total of 941 games for the Ukrainian club.

Luo “Ferrari_430” Feichi – a one-club man himself, much like Dendi – has been with Invictus Gaming since August 2nd, 2011, totaling 868 games played with the team.

When DotaBlast met Dendi for an interview in Minsk, during the StarLadder i-League StarSeries LAN finals, in January 2016, he spoke about loyalty and his desire to stay true to what he knows and remain rooted to his home, Natus Vincere:

I’m trying to be loyal. I know that my organization gave me a lot of things, changed my life in a good way, so I feel like I owe them. I feel comfortable, and I owe the people I play with and the people who work for the organization, so there’s no reason for me to leave for now. I have a huge trust in my teammates. I don’t want any changes, I just want to play and if someone is lacking something, I want them to improve and I’m trying to do something and help them if I can, if I can’t, I just wait. I’m just trying to be loyal. No one respects loyalty these days, I guess. Whatever.

Dendi and Na’Vi – a lasting relationship

In the late fall of 2010 in the Ukraine, a fairly new esports organization would venture into the Dota 2 realm, picking up a group of young players, some of whom are now legends. Danil “Dendi” Ishutin joined the newly formed team on December 25th, 2010. No one would realize this marked the beginning of something truly extraordinary.

After only several months together as a team and having received the beta keys for the game merely a couple of weeks before the first International event, the Ukrainian squad managed to seize the first ever TI championship title.

Na’Vi, The International 2011 champions

Na’Vi went on to win the Electronic Sports World Cup 2011 a few weeks later, five more championship titles and two runners-up placements in premier tournaments leading up to The International 2. The Ukrainian squad was on fire.

Running full steam ahead, Na’Vi plowed through The International 2 to the grand finals once again, this time taking the runners-up slot behind Invictus Gaming. Na’Vi seized the championship title for seven out of their next eight tournaments, only taking an uncharacteristic third place in the ASUS Open 2012.

The team was able to maintain their momentum in February, and then, for a third year in a row, Na’Vi ran through their competition and headed into the grand finals of The International. Dendi and his team took the runner-up spot once again, underneath Swedish team Alliance. For the next several months, Na’Vi would continue their domineering streak: another five championship titles, one second place and one third placement.

Through thick and thin, and the peaks and valleys of professional gaming, Dendi has been a constant in the organization.

Dendi at StarLadder i-League © Natus Vincere

Well known for his solo mid skills, Danil “Dendi” Ishutin is regarded as one of the most creative players in the scene and is renowned for his unorthodox play-style and unconventional item builds. His personality, skill and long successful history have made him one of the most popular Dota 2 players in the world. His story was featured in the documentary film “Free to Play“.

Danil got an early start with competitive gaming in Internet cafes, when his older brother married, moved out and took the family’s PC with him. He started to play DotA professionally in 2006, proving tremendous skill and talent ever since.

For over five years, Dendi has been the face and perhaps even the very life and soul of Natus Vincere’s Dota 2 division. He is one of only a handful of players who attended all five International tournaments with one team – Natus Vincere.