The road to The International 8 is here! Today, the open qualifiers kick off a month and a half of Dota 2 action in Vancouver.
Thanks to the Dota 2 Pro Circuit’s roster lock rules, there are many teams in the open qualifiers this year that would otherwise be directly invited to TI8. These teams have had inconsistent performances this season and are taking a risk by going through the open qualifiers.
The open qualifier mechanics are simple. A total of 1024 teams will be randomly seeded in a single elimination bracket. Six teams from each tournament (except the European qualifier) will advance to their region’s main qualifier. Matches are best-of-one, except for the semifinals and grand finals which are best-of-three.
The risk for tier one teams is that they can potentially be defeated by lesser rosters using unorthodox strategies. This hasn’t happened much in previous tournaments, but it will be a test of endurance and composure for all teams.
Now, let’s take a look at the teams to watch out for in the preliminaries.
North America:
– Evil Geniuses
– CompLexity Gaming
– Vici Gaming J Storm
– LvT Reunion
Evil Geniuses and CompLexity have experienced roster changes recently, so it will be interesting to see how they perform. Vici Gaming J Storm is the strongest team and is expected to make it through the open qualifiers easily. LvT Reunion has talented players and is likely to make it into the main qualifiers.
South America:
– GDV
– PaiN Gaming
– SG e-sports
– ThunderPredator
GDV is a standout team in the South American qualifiers, featuring Clinton “Fear” Loomis and other talented players. PaiN Gaming, with its experience in Pro Circuit events, is expected to perform well. SG e-sports and ThunderPredator also have notable players in their rosters.
Europe:
– Alliance
– BlinkPool
– Elements Pro Gaming
– IGX
– NoBountyHunter
– Wind and Rain
– OG
European teams have a tough road ahead, with only one winner in the main qualifier. Alliance will be playing without Jonathan “Loda” Berg for the first time, while BlinkPool is Rasmus “MiSeRy” Filipsen’s new team. IGX features players from the old MVP Phoenix team, making them a team to watch. OG is also in the open qualifiers due to roster changes.
CIS:
– Natus Vincere
– Empire
– Team Spirit
Na’Vi is expected to do well in the open qualifiers, along with Empire and Team Spirit. The rest of the region is unpredictable, making it an entertaining tournament.
Southeast Asia:
– Clutch Gamers
– Battle Arena E
– TaskUs Titans
– TNC Tiger
The Southeast Asian qualifiers are known for their competitiveness. TaskUs Titans and TNC Tiger are the standout teams, but Clutch Gamers and Battle Arena E should not be overlooked.
China:
– LGD Forever Young
– Keen Gaming
– Invictus Gaming Vitality
– EHOME
– Sun Gaming
– Team DK
The Chinese open qualifiers are highly competitive, with LGD Forever Young expected to come out on top. Keen Gaming and Invictus Gaming Vitality also have strong rosters. The remaining slots are up for grabs, with teams like EHOME and Team DK in the mix.
The TI8 open qualifiers begin today, starting with the Southeast Asian leg. You can watch all the games on the Beyond The Summit TI8 hub.