ATF Targets Malr1ne in New-Season Rivalry

Published September 22, 2026

ATF has turned his separation from Malr1ne into one of his main competitive storylines for the new Dota 2 season. The Team Yandex offlaner said he wants to beat his former Falcons teammate once Malr1ne’s next roster is announced. The challenge is personal in tone, but it follows a joint decision by the two players to spend the coming season apart rather than a public falling-out between them.

The pair had been central figures in Team Falcons before the post-season reshuffle. Earlier in September, ATF said they had discussed remaining together but ultimately decided that a separation was the better option. He described the break as lasting six months or a year and left open the possibility of reuniting later. His reasoning was preventative: stepping away now could preserve the partnership instead of allowing another season together to damage it. That context changes the meaning of his latest remarks. ATF’s desire to defeat Malr1ne is a competitive target created by the split, not evidence that the two players have denied their shared decision. He has repeatedly framed their next meeting as a test of who made the right call. The rivalry can therefore be serious inside a match while still existing between players who may work together again in the future.

A challenge without a confirmed first match

ATF said the most interesting part of the reshuffle would be watching Malr1ne’s results and proving himself against the midlaner’s future team. He compared the question to other separations in which former teammates faced each other and observers debated which side had made the better decision. The comparison gives his comments a clear competitive frame: he wants results, not speculation, to settle the argument. There is not yet a confirmed date for that test. Malr1ne’s new organisation had not been officially announced when ATF made the comments. Reports have linked the midlaner with Team Liquid, but a reported destination is not a completed transfer. Treating that rumour as fact would create a matchup that neither club has formally scheduled. The only confirmed side of the potential rivalry is ATF’s own destination. That uncertainty does not make his challenge empty. It establishes what ATF will measure once the teams are known: direct matches and tournament outcomes. Until Malr1ne’s roster is public, however, the story is about intent rather than an upcoming fixture.

ATF became Team Yandex’s offlaner on September 17, taking the place previously occupied by DM. The active five for PGL Wallachia Season 9 pairs him with watson and CHIRA_JUNIOR in the core positions, while Saksa and Malady play support. His first series with the lineup ended in a 2:1 victory over MOUZ. That debut gave one side of the former Falcons partnership an immediate official result after the reshuffle. It did not answer the question ATF is asking about Malr1ne, because the players were not opponents in that series. The move also puts ATF in a roster with its own established structure. He is not waiting for his former teammate’s announcement before competing; Team Yandex have already begun their Wallachia campaign with him in the offlane.

How the separation became a sporting target

ATF’s earlier comments were more specific than a general promise to win. He said he would be motivated to interfere with Malr1ne’s mid-lane game, including contesting movements and runes when their teams eventually meet. Those details fit the roles: an offlaner can rotate toward mid and disrupt the timings of a player he knows well from years as a teammate. Familiarity may help each side anticipate the other, but it does not guarantee the result. The separation also creates two independent tests. ATF must establish himself in Yandex’s offlane after replacing DM, while Malr1ne has to begin again once his destination becomes official. Tournament placements will reflect the performance of two full teams, not a private duel between their former Falcons cores. ATF’s language sharpens the narrative, but the outcome will still depend on the other eight players whenever they finally share a server. The confirmed timeline is:

• September 8: ATF said he and Malr1ne had jointly decided to play apart for the next season.
• September 17: Team Yandex officially announced ATF as its new offlaner in place of DM.

Question	Current status
ATF’s team	Confirmed: Team Yandex.
Malr1ne’s next team	Not officially announced when ATF spoke.
First head-to-head match	No confirmed fixture yet.

The first genuine verdict will come only after Malr1ne signs and the former teammates meet in an official series. Until then, ATF’s move is complete, his motivation is public and the opposing half of the rivalry remains deliberately unresolved.