Core Viewpoint - The sponsorship of Chinese DOTA teams by Lilith's game "Small Ice Ice Legend" signifies a deeper commitment to the esports ecosystem, transcending mere commercial interests [1][7]. Group 1: Sponsorship and Support - "Small Ice Ice Legend" has previously sponsored four Chinese DOTA2 clubs for the Riyadh Masters, demonstrating ongoing support for the Chinese DOTA2 training system [2][3]. - The game has announced sponsorship for the YB team, which is self-funded, as well as for the DOTA16 league finals, indicating a proactive approach to nurturing the esports community [1][12]. Group 2: Historical Context and Impact - "Small Ice Ice Legend," originally known as "Dota Legend," launched in July 2014 and achieved significant success, generating over 2.16 billion in revenue within six months [5]. - The game faced copyright disputes with Blizzard and Valve, leading to a name change and a substantial settlement, highlighting the importance of intellectual property in the gaming industry [5][7]. Group 3: Current Challenges in DOTA2 - The DOTA2 scene in China is experiencing a decline, marked by talent loss and reduced sponsorship, with TI prize pools dropping from 40 million in 2021 to just 2.6 million for TI13 in 2024 [8][10]. - The lack of stable sponsorship and the operational challenges faced by clubs, such as LGD, indicate a critical need for revitalization in the DOTA2 ecosystem [10][11]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The revival of "Small Ice Ice Legend" through the launch of a nostalgic version has garnered positive player feedback, suggesting potential for a resurgence in both the game and the DOTA2 scene [5][7]. - The commitment from "Small Ice Ice Legend" to support the esports community reflects a belief in the eventual revival of Chinese DOTA2, as expressed by the game's team [13].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent changes within Lilith Games, particularly focusing on the relocation of its Shenzhen team to Shanghai and the implications of this move on the company's operations and game development strategy [2][3]. Group 1: Company Changes - On March 5, Lilith Games announced a mandatory relocation of its Shenzhen team to Shanghai, effective the following Monday, with salary continuity and a small relocation allowance offered [2]. - The relocation is linked to the departure of Wu Fanfan, a key figure in the development of casual games, who previously worked on Tencent's "Happy Elimination" and founded Mona Studio, which was later acquired by Lilith [2][3]. - The legal representative of the newly established subsidiary "Shanghai Xiaomeijie" changed from Wu Fanfan to Yuan Shuai, a co-founder of Lilith, around the same time Wu left the company [3]. Group 2: Game Performance - Lilith's first mini-game, "Xiaoxiaomeijie," which combines match-3 and simulation elements, has not performed well since its launch, failing to reach the top charts on WeChat mini-games [3]. - Data from DataEye ADX indicates that advertising spending for "Xiaoxiaomeijie" peaked in January but has since stagnated due to unsatisfactory data recovery results [4]. - Despite being one of the early entrants into the mini-game sector among the "Shanghai Four Dragons," Lilith's performance in this area is considered underwhelming compared to other established casual game developers [6].