ESL One Malaysia — The momentum rises

Resorts World Genting: a vast resort located in Malaysia that is filled with astounding amenities that could seemingly fill every need one can inquire. Not only that, it has a theme park, a hotel, a bustling casino, and, from August 23-28, an international competitive Dota 2 tournament.

For the first time since 2018, ESL One Malaysia is happening in the Resorts World Genting complex where some of the world’s best Dota teams will compete for a total prize pool of $400,000. The 12-team competing field will feature six from Western Europe, three from Southeast Asia, and one each from North America, South America, and China.

Critical dress rehearsal for SEA prior to TI11

Southeast Asia has certainly laid its mark so far as this Dota Pro Circuit has gone. It has hosted a number of significant competitions throughout the year and seen one of its teams win in the process, but perhaps the most significant mark will be the fact that it will serve as host for The International 11, the game’s most coveted event of the year, which will be set in Singapore.

Unlike past editions where SEA teams had to travel inordinate miles to compete against the rest of the field, for this year, they will welcome their opponents in their backyard and show them what their own brand of Dota is really all about. That said, in being the host, the pressure and expectations from fans for the region to succeed follow in tandem, and with the event being expected to take place in front of a crowd, that aspect is multiplied exponentially. Unsurprisingly, with ESL One Malaysia happening roughly a month before TI11, it’s fitting that people are seeing it as a prelude to the main event.

Although SEA hasn’t won any DPC Major held in the region, that stat alone won’t dissuade teams from striving to make history for TI11. Nevertheless, TI11 is still some time away, so all eyes are on ESL One Malaysia and its hosting teams to start on the right foot and build momentum until then.

Building momentum from Arlington Major

The Arlington Major, aside from providing fans with an exhilarating display of passion and gameplay, has also given some teams a significant boost to their form in the DPC. It was in the Lone Star State where previously obscure squads emerged from the backdrop to the forefront of the professional consciousness.

Team Aster and Entity were some of the teams that enjoyed such a distinction. Entity started the year in WEU Div. II after winning open qualifiers, and after gradually improving over time, which eventually helped them get promoted to Div. Following the Spring Tour, they finished Top 6 in the Major by besting Evil Geniuses and BOOM Esports.

For Aster, despite consistently finishing at the top of the Chinese DPC standings throughout the year, they had yet to overcome the final hurdle to really become the best team in the country prior to the Major. They failed to win both editions of the Chinese Regional Finals which then cast doubt on whether they could play at the same level as the heavyweights like PSG.LGD. Nevertheless, Aster proved fans wrong as they went on to finish Top 3, their highest placement in any Major in the team’s history, thus converting said uncertainty to absolute confidence in their continued success.

Having excelled in the Major, it’s only fitting for these teams to continue building on that momentum as the road to TI nears its end.

Preparation for TI11 and TI11 Qualifiers

Aside from a few small third-party events scattered throughout the world, ESL One Malaysia will be the last significant Dota 2 event occurring before The International 11. Not only that, this competition will serve as the last opportunity for those already qualified—or vying to qualify—for the event to face and examine their peers, reworked lineups, and all.

Of the competing field, half have directly secured their ticket to TI11, whereas the rest will have to fight through to the regional qualifiers (not to mention the Last Chance Qualifier) to secure their own ticket. It’s hard to imagine a year ago that we would talk about Team Secret, Nigma Galaxy, and Team Liquid as teams still looking to fight for a spot in TI, but here we are.

Is there no wonder then that there is considerable anticipation for these batch of teams to go at it when the whole thing kicks off? The allure of high-level competitive Dota is infectious to relish, but don’t forget the shadow of TI looms ever larger with each passing day.

Alliance need to prove their doubters wrong

When it was announced that Alliance were one of the teams directly invited to ESL One Malaysia, many were skeptical as to whether they were deserving of the position. Taking a look at how their DPC transpired, there’s no reason to blame them for doing so. By the end of the Summer Tour, Alliance were relegated to Division II after posting a 0-7 record in the Western European top flight. Furthermore, they couldn’t muster a single win in any of their best-of-three series for their campaign, finishing 0-14 overall and sitting squarely in the basement of the WEU standings.

On top of that, the team finished dead last in Div. I with a 1-6 record and were sent to Div. II for the Spring Tour. Following an extensive overhaul of their roster and coaching staff, the team returned to Div. I only to find themselves in the current predicament. While the TI3 champions have worked to get back on the right path ahead of Malaysia, such as signing Yaroslav “Limitless” Parshin and Andrey “Dukalis” Kuropatkin as their newest captain, questions remain whether this new iteration can hold their own against the likes of OG, Aster, and Entity. That is why it’s imperative for Alliance to play well and succeed against all expectations surrounding them.

A riveting competition ahead

Whereas the Arlington Major was fraught with stand-ins and absences, ESL One Malaysia looks to see the majority of its teams compete relatively unscathed. That sets the stage for a truly riveting competition for all the fans to enjoy. Taking a look at all the teams, it’s tough to identify one that sticks out among the rest as they’re all good in their own right.

Another batch of contenders to consider is any one of the three SEA teams. Each stack holds an experienced and viable array of players that can take over matches at any given moment. BOOM have shined as one of SEA’s most consistent teams with two 1st place regional DPC finishes to their name and a secured spot at TI11 to boot, whereas Fnatic and Talon have been on the upward trend throughout the year.

Then there’s always the Chinese contingent to consider. Aster are coming off a successful run at Arlington Major and will look to do the same.

But at the end of the day, there’s a strong possibility OG will channel the impressive form that they have molded this year and use it for Malaysia. The five-time Major and two-time TI champions with a lineup that looks poised to win in Malaysia for this occasion. They previously won ESL One Stockholm without Misha as their Pos. 5, and with Chuvash stepping in his place, who’s to say OG won’t be able to do the same? Look for OG to steer past everyone else to take the competition by its end.

Header: ESL