Tundra Esports Makes Dramatic Roster Change with Captain Fata
In the fast-paced world of Dota 2, teams are always striving for the perfect combination of skill and chemistry. Despite a successful 2021, Tundra Esports shocked the community by cutting ties with their captain, Fata. However, they wasted no time in signing Saksa as his replacement.
Shifting Roles and New Responsibilities
This roster change resulted in Sneyking transitioning to the hard support role, while Saksa took over as the team’s position four. Additionally, Sneyking stepped up as the new captain, shouldering more responsibility. The decision to remove Fata garnered significant attention from both the community and professional players, including Ceb, who referred to it as one of Dota’s worst kicks in history.
Tundra’s Success and Soniqs’ Rise
Tundra had a slow start in the DPC with their new roster but quickly bounced back. They finished fourth in the second tour of the Western European DPC without Fata, followed by a first-place finish in Tour Three. Meanwhile, Fata found success with his new team, Quincy Crew, which later became Soniqs.
Fata’s inclusion had a positive impact on Soniqs, who secured a spot in the Arlington Major. Although Soniqs placed last in the tournament, both Tundra and Soniqs faced difficulties. It seemed like the two teams were on equal footing despite their roster changes.
TI11 Showdown and Tundra’s Triumph
With both Tundra and Soniqs qualifying for TI11, the stage was set to determine which team benefited the most from the roster switch. After nearly 100 games in the International 2022, it became clear that Tundra had evolved into the stronger team. They finished first in Group B, while Soniqs fought to avoid elimination until the last day.
Soniqs’ hopes rested on a tiebreaker match against BetBoom Team. However, EG’s unexpected losses to BOOM Esports caused a three-way tiebreaker, ultimately leading to Soniqs’ elimination from TI11.
Surprising Success for Tundra
Contrary to Ceb’s prediction, Tundra’s roster change proved to be one of Dota’s best in history, based on the results. Although Ceb may have been mistaken, having won two TIs with OG, a team known for valuing friendship, the move may still be criticized ethically since Fata was one of the team’s founding members. Nevertheless, it undeniably worked in Tundra’s favor, as evidenced by their successful tournament runs.
esports, Dota 2, Tundra Esports, roster change, captain Fata, signing Saksa, Sneyking, Soniqs, TI11, tournament, results