DreamHack Winter: Surprising Upsets Shake Up the Tournament
Two of the top-six best teams in the world attended DreamHack Winter, and neither of them made it out of the group stage. Renegades and Gambit were not considered top-10 teams in the world, yet they surpassed better competition. Gambit’s best performing player, Abay “HObbit” Khasenov, had never played at a premier level LAN before.
It was another week in the Uncertainty Era.
The SK Era Comes to an End
After SK/Luminosity won both Valve majors this year, pundits and fans called it the “SK Era”. However, since the player break in August, no clear leader has emerged. Even when SK finally reclaimed their place at the top, they failed to maintain their dominance, finishing only top-four at ESL One New York.
This uncertainty began when Ninjas in Pyjamas won a high-level tournament with a stand-in. Since then, strange results continued to occur.
The Rise and Fall of Contenders
Teams like Na’Vi, Dignitas, and Cloud9 have had their moments of success, but they have also faltered. Na’Vi has been inconsistent in recent tournaments, while Dignitas has shown potential but struggled to find consistent results. Cloud9 improved with the addition of Autimatic, winning a major tournament, but failed to advance in other events.
Virtus.pro became the world’s number one team but then took an extended absence from the competitive scene, missing out on important tournaments.
The Determining Factors for the Future
Three key dynamics could shape the post-uncertainty era:
1. The SK-VP Rivalry: The rivalry between SK and Virtus.pro will play a crucial role in defining the era moving into 2017.
2. Duke Dignitas: Dignitas has shown potential to take over the scene, but inconsistency has held them back.
3. The New Ninjas: NiP’s recent victories may hint at a return to dominance, but it is too early to tell if they can sustain their success.
Photo Credit: Tweaktown.com
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