In the most recent update on Syed “SumaiL” Hassan’s legal battle, the renowned Dota 2 player has faced a setback in his lawsuit against his former team, Evil Geniuses. The litigation, which drew considerable attention, has concluded with a verdict favoring the esports organization instead.
The case, meticulously reported by esports journalist, Richard Lewis on Substack, has sparked discussions regarding the beef between the two parties.
Syed “SumaiL” Hassan (Image credit: PGL)
The Verdict on the court case
The jury’s decision revealed a lack of evidence supporting the claim that Evil Geniuses harbored malicious intent or attempted to deceive Hassan during his tenure with the team. Evil Geniuses‘ legal defense was robust, emphasizing transparency throughout the contractual negotiations with SumaiL. They pointed out that they did advise Hassan to seek an attorney, underscoring the organization’s attempt to maintain clarity and fairness.
Furthermore, the defense highlighted that Evil Geniuses had provided SumaiL with generous financial terms and shown flexibility in prior agreements, countering allegations of malicious intent.
SumaiL’s accusations, however, centered around the organization’s handling of his contract renewals, alleging exploitation of his youth and inexperience. One of the contentious points was the conversion of 400,000 shares of stock into a different type of ownership, a process Hassan claimed to have not fully understood.
Additionally, his salary was significantly reduced, from $20,000 to a mere $2,000 monthly when placed on the inactive roster. Coupled with restrictions that prevented him from joining other teams, this further intensified the dispute between SumaiL and the org.
How did the lawsuit start?
To recap, the lawsuit, which spanned two years, contained several allegations from SumaiL against Evil Geniuses, including breach of contract, false misrepresentation, and false promises.
However, none of these allegations were substantiated in court as EG denied all of them. Richard Lewis’s first reporting shed light on the legal battle, highlighting attempts by EG to allegedly dilute SumaiL’s stake in the company through a complex and, according to SumaiL, deceptive contractual terms.
Richard Lewis (Image credit: ELEAGUE)
The litigation also brought to light Hassan’s contractual arrangements with EG, detailing a salary of $20,000 per month from August 2025 (retroactively applied from May 2019) until August 2020. Following the International 2025 (TI9), EG presented SumaiL with a contract amendment that significantly reduced his salary and limited his participation in competitions with his then desired team, Quincy Crew, except for a qualifier for an upcoming Dota Major.
Conclusion of the SumaiL x Evil Geniuses legal battle
Ultimately, the lawsuit’s resolution leaves SumaiL without any awarded damages, marking a challenging chapter in his professional Dota 2 career. For EG, the verdict represents a moment of relief amid their esports division downsizing and even speculations about their potential exit from esports altogether.
While there is still debate on which side to root between SumaiL or the other party, it seems like this case has finally come to an end after a considerable amount of time in court.
