The opening ceremony of the most-awaited Dota 2 tournament is nigh.
The path to the 2018 International was a lot tougher than in previous years. The introduction of the Dota 2 Pro Circuit meant that teams had to demonstrate long-term consistency in order to earn their spot at the event.
Many organisers wanted to be a part of the circuit and so lots of tournaments followed which meant more Dota 2 for the fans to indulge in. It all ended in June and with almost no Dota throughout the ensuing period, it’s time for the cherry on the top.
Where, when and what’s the format?
Following a six-year stint in Seattle, The International will be staged in Vancouver, Canada, this year.
Eighteen teams in total will fight for a prize fund of US$24million. Eight of the teams earned their spot being among the top-ranked DPC teams. The other 10 had to battle through tough qualifying cycles.
The combatants will be divided into two groups of nine teams each. The top four in each group will advance to the upper bracket, while those finishing fifth to eighth will drop to the lower bracket. The bottom team in each group will be eliminated from the tournament altogether.
The group matches will be played in a best-of-two format. The opening matches take place on Wednesday (15 August) with the group stage ending on Saturday (18 August).
The group stage will be followed by the main event that will last from 20-25 August 2018.
Group B
Virtus.pro, who qualified in 1st place in the season rankings, are clear favourites in this group but there is little to split the contenders in behind.
The odds suggest Newbee, Team Secret and Vici Gaming will also secure top-four finishes but if they take points off each other, it could open the door for the likes of VGJ.Storm, OpTic Gaming and Team Serenity to pounce.
Here’s a team-by-team breakdown:
Virtus.pro (1st in DPC rankings)
Best TI performance: 5th/6th in 2017
2017/18 DPC earnings: $2.54m
Majors won/qualified for: 4/8
Captain: Solo
The Russians finished first in the DPC rankings and became the first team to secure their spot at TI8 long before the end of the season. The only time the team struggled was around December, but replacing Lil with RodjER proved to be the key to success. Virtus.pro won four Majors and became the only team to win three ESL events in a row. Nothing short of winning TI will be acceptable for the Russian team and they are expected to finish much better than the 5th/6th spot they achieved last year.
Dafabet title odds: 4.120
Top CIS team: 1.027
Newbee (7th in DPC rankings)
Best TI performance: 1st in 2014
2017/18 DPC earnings: $818k
Majors won/qualified for: 0/9
Captain: Faith
Last year’s finalists in TI7 were one of the most feared teams prior to starting the current season, but their performances left fans with a bittersweet taste in their mouths. The team did not manage to win a Major, but their three semi-finals were a solid boost to their points and helped them finish 7th in the overall rankings. Despite unconvincing performances for a team of their rank, Newbee did not make any changes. It remains to be seen if this was the correct decision.
Dafabet title odds: 12.610
Top Chinese team: 9.480
Team Secret (4th in DPC rankings)
Best TI performance: 7th/8th in 2015
2017/18 DPC earnings: $1.34m
Majors won/qualified for: 1/8
Captain: Puppey
Following their failure at TI7 (9th-12th), Team Secret welcomed Ace and Fata into their ranks. The former came out of a period of inactivity and assumed the role of offlaner – one he had never played before. The team quickly gelled together and became one of the strongest teams on the Dota 2 scene, as shown by victory at the Dream League Season 8 Major when they dismantled Team Liquid 3-0. Puppey’s boys did not win any more Majors, but Secret remained a force to be reckoned with throughout the entirety of the season and won two more Minors, finishing 4th in the overall DPC rankings. Puppey became a TI champion seven years ago and will now look forward to repeat the success with Team Secret.
Dafabet title odds: 13.230
Top European team: 3.850
Vici Gaming (6th in DPC rankings)
Best TI performance: 2nd in 2014
2017/18 DPC earnings: $709k
Majors won/qualified for: 0/6
Captain: Fenrir
Traditionally one of the strongest Chinese teams, the 2014 International finalists failed to qualify for the last year’s edition and it prompted radical changes. The entire roster was replaced, with Ori finalising the current line-up in January 2018. The team did not manage to win a Major, but a string of consistent results (including a final appearance in the ESL One Katowice Major) secured 6th spot in the DPC rankings. With veterans Fenrir and LaNm calling the shots, and a talented carry such as Paparazi灬, the team has what it takes to make a significant impact at TI8.
Dafabet title odds: 13.480
Top Chinese team: 4.690
VGJ.Storm (1st in North American qualifier)
Best TI performance: N/A (debut)
2017/18 DPC earnings: $333k
Majors won/qualified for: 0/2
Captain: SVG
With one of the youngest rosters of all the teams, VGJ.Storm are the North American division of Vici Gaming. Not achieving the goals set for the team, the North Americans’ roster was replaced entirely in February with the current line-up, which meant that they had to play qualifiers for TI. Bringing in Resolut1on from OG in April proved to be the catalyst for success. VGJ.Storm impressed the following month with victory in GESC: Thailand Dota2 Minor, as well as 2nd place in the MDL Changsha Major. The team won the NA qualifier in June to reach this stage.
Dafabet title odds: 23.860
Top North American team: 3.970
OpTic Gaming (2nd in North American qualifier)
Best TI performance: N/A (debut)
2017/18 DPC earnings: $500k
Majors won/qualified for: 0/5
Captain: ppd
Nobody was placing much faith in a team newly-formed by ppd in late September last year, but the TI5-winning mastermind had yet to unfold his plan. OpTic seemed to struggle in the first half of the season and MISERY left to be replaced by 33, whose arrival proved to be what the team needed. OpTic gradually improved their game in the second half of the season, culminating in a StarLadder ImbaTV Invitational Season 5 Minor win and a final showing in the ESL One Birmingham Major. Despite that the team fell just short of qualifying through DPC rankings (9th), but 2nd place at the North American Qualifier squeezed them through.
Dafabet title odds: 28.780
Top North American team: 3.970
Team Serenity (1st in Chinese qualifier)
Best TI performance: N/A (debut)
2017/18 DPC earnings: $0
Majors won/qualified for: 0/0
Captain: Pyw
A complete enigma outside their domestic scene, Team Serenity battled through the Chinese regional qualifiers to secure a spot on the stage of TI for the first time. Winning against teams of the calibre of iG and LGD.ForeverYoung, Team Serenity finished 1st in their open qualifier. Their story so far draws parallels with another unknown Chinese team that made it all the way from the qualifiers to the grand final of the International 2015 – CDEC Gaming. Could this be yet another tale of the underdog sweeping the big boys off the floor?
Dafabet title odds: 30.510
Top Chinese team: 14.960
TNC (2nd in South-East Asia qualifier)
Best TI performance: 7th/8th in 2016
2017/18 DPC earnings: $269k
Majors won/qualified for: 0/4
Captain: Kuku
The Filipino team has one of the longest-standing rosters on the Dota 2 scene – four of the players have been together since 2016. A powerhouse in the SEA region, TNC have been trying to make a breakthrough on the international scene throughout the entirety of the DPC season. The team came to fame on the stage of TI6 when they eliminated the favourites, OG, and eventually finished 7th/8th, while last year they finished in 9th-12th position. Securing their spot through a regional qualifier, TNC have already demonstrated that they have the ability to be a dark horse in the tournament.
Dafabet title odds: 44.480
Top South-East Asia team: 4.410
PaiN Gaming (1st in South American qualifier)
Best TI performance: N/A (debut)
2017/18 DPC earnings: $135k
Majors won/qualified for: 0/4
Captain: Kingrd
The Brazilian team will become just the second South American team to compete in TI having made it through the regional qualifier. The team was formed in November last year, with w33 joining officially this April. Despite being debutants on the stage of TI, PaiN have already made their mark on the international scene – finishing 2nd in the WESG 2017 playing for Brazil. Their most recent performance in ESL One Birmingham, placing 3rd, was even more impressive and suggests that, despite their odds, PaiN Gaming will be no punching bag in this tournament.
Dafabet title odds: 93.510
Top South American team: N/A (only qualifier)
