In a surprising roster change just days before the start of The International 2025: China Closed Qualifiers, Yakult Brothers have officially announced the departure of offlaner Xiang "Beyond" Zhenghong and the addition of veteran Ren "old eLeVeN" Yangwei to their active lineup.

The announcement, made on the team’s official Weibo account two days ago, emphasized that the change was made after mutual agreement and in full respect of both players’ wishes. While no specific reason for the swap was given, the move has caught the attention of the Chinese Dota 2 community, especially given the team’s recent promising performances.

"感谢Beyond在ACL决赛与梦幻联赛S26中与我们并肩作战...祝愿Beyond未来一切顺利！"
(“We thank Beyond for standing with us during the ACL finals and DreamLeague Season 26... and wish him all the best in the future!”)

Yakult Brothers, a team on the rise in the Chinese scene, delivered a surprisingly strong showing in DreamLeague Season 26, finishing 6th overall. Their group stage run was particularly impressive, as they pulled off clean 2-0 victories against heavyweights such as Gaimin Gladiators, Team Liquid, and Team Falcons. Beyond’s consistent initiations and solid laning were key factors in their success.

However, as the team gears up for the crucial TI qualifiers, they've opted for experience and stability in their offlane role—qualities embodied by old eLeVeN. A seasoned veteran best known for his time with LGD Gaming, old eLeVeN’s career highlights include a 4th place finish at The International 2017 and appearances in multiple Majors with teams like EHOME and Vici Gaming.

That said, his competitive activity has been limited in recent times. His last official appearance was during the TI12 China Closed Qualifier in 2024, where his team was eliminated in the first round of the lower bracket. Since then, old eLeVeN has been out of the spotlight, making this return both a hopeful redemption arc and a test of form.

"希望老十一能为队伍注入更多经验与稳定性...冲出重围！拼尽全力，不留遗憾！"
(“We hope old eLeVeN can bring more experience and stability to the team… fight hard and leave no regrets!”)

With only four days remaining until the TI qualifiers, the team has limited time to integrate their new offlaner. Still, the decision reflects Yakult Brothers' ambitions—they’re not just looking to participate; they want to break through.

Whether this late roster shakeup will pay off remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the stakes have never been higher.