T1 no more: T1 to reportedly sell its 2023 DPC slot to Bleed Esports

T1 is apparently selling its position in the 2023 Dota Pro Circuit to Bleed eSports, hinting at a departure from the Dota 2 scene.

Many teams from all around the world are reevaluating their rosters as a consequence of their underwhelming performance in The International 11, but T1 seems to have been struck the hardest. The Southeast Asian organization is reportedly selling its Dota 2 Pro Circuit Slot to a Singaporean organization Bleed eSports. According to reports from AFK Gaming, Bleed would replace T1 in the DPC Southeast Asia Division I for the following season, once the deal gets finalized. The news comes after T1’s several lackluster performances throughout the year. 

After posting a subpar performance during the third tour of the regional league, the Southeast Asian team registered a below-average result during the 2022 Dota Pro Circuit season. In a last-ditch effort to secure a spot at TI11, the organization acquired former OG superstars Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen and Anathan “ana” Pham ahead of the Last Chance Qualifiers. The superteam’s chances of competing in the TI 11 were, however, dashed after losing to Vici Gaming, which ended their run at the Last Chance Qualifiers.

 

Following the heartbreaking exit, the organization parted ways with coach Ark “March” Tae-won, captain Carlo “Kuku” Pala, support player Kenny “Xepher” Deo, and Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon, giving a hint at a probable roster split. Although T1 failed to achieve any major victory in 2022, their performance in the previous year was top-notch. In the DPC tour for 2021–2022, Kuku led the team to a strong third-place finish at the WePlay Animajor, a victory at ESL One Summer 2021, and a top-eight finish in the T10. Although there is no indication that T1’s participation in Dota is about to end, selling a Division I slot will only make it more difficult for the organization to return to the scene with a new team.

Bleed esports will enter the Dota scene with T1’s DPC slot

While the deal could spell the end for T1 in the professional Dota 2 scene, it will also open the door to a world of possibilities for Bleed. The Singaporean organization is a newcomer to the esports scene and focuses solely on Valorant at the moment. Bleed eSports’ Valorant roster, which is comprised of Singaporean players, have previously competed in VCT APAC Challengers in 2021 and 2022.  

Despite not qualifying for any VCT global events, the team is popular in the APAC region thanks to their constant top-three finishes in regional qualifiers and Challengers events. The team also participated in the VCT 2022: APAC Last Chance Qualifier, where they fell short of securing a spot in the World Championship after losing a lower bracket match against ONIC Esports.

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