Chinese Dota Is Back

A few years ago, the Chinese Dota 2 scene looked like it wouldn’t have a future. The veterans were stepping down and there was no one to replace them. At the same time, the Chinese government was imposing strict rules with regard to how many hours per week gamers could allocate to their hobby.

This resulted in a professional circuit dominated by European teams. Despite its rich Dota 2 history and the fact that it had either won or played in the Grand Final of many editions of The International, the region was no longer feared for its prowess. But now we’re starting to see clear signs of recovery.

Elite League Results

Elite League is a Dota 2 tournament of great importance. Despite taking place online, its large number of world-class participants and large prize pool make it the equivalent of a Major.

China has four teams in this competition: KEV, G2.iG, Azure Ray, and Xtreme Gaming. Of these four teams, one was eliminated in the first stage of the tournament. This was largely expected to happen because KEV only had a few strong players and was fighting against the likes of PSG Quest, nouns, and Aurora.

The other three teams survived stage 1 and then proceeded to survive stage 2 as well. This means that three of the eight playoffs teams at Elite League are Chinese. Three other teams are European and the remaining two are from the MENA region.

Of the three teams that started the playoffs, one (G2.iG) lost right away against Gaimin Gladiators, finishing 7^th – 8^th. But the other two (Xtreme Gaming and Azure Ray) are waiting to play in the lower bracket Final. One of them will get the opportunity to challenge Team Falcons in the Grand Final.

Regardless of what happens next, the fact that China had two teams in the top three at a Dota 2 tournament of this caliber is a clear sign that the region is doing great again.

Right now, there are three regions that compete for supremacy in Dota 2: MENA, Europe, and China. This first region was not expected to dominate the professional circuit at the start of the season, but thanks to Team Falcons’ phenomenal roster, it is now the best in the world. China could change this situation and return to its former glory.

Back in 2012, 2014, and 2016, this region won The International. In 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2021, it had teams in the Grand Final. If Team Falcons lose the Grand Final, this might be the beginning of a new era.

Header: Valve