Vici Gaming J Storm: A Roller Coaster Season
The story of Vici Gaming J Storm is quite intriguing. They were once the top team in North America during the Dota 2 Pro Circuit season, achieving second place at the MDL Changsha Major in May. This success was remarkable since they had missed every other Pro Circuit LAN after MDL Macau.
However, they have now returned to their starting point. Despite their points from Changsha not being enough to secure a spot in The International 8, they managed to win the NA regional qualifier and secure their trip to Vancouver without going through the qualifier playoffs.
Challenges at The International
Despite their success in the qualifiers, the pressure and stakes at The International are much higher. While scraping through the regular season might earn you a spot on the biggest stage, surviving the group stage and making it to the main event is a different ball game. On paper, VGJ Storm’s members may not match up to the other teams in terms of skill and consistency.
There is a concern that VGJ Storm may struggle in the preliminaries against teams with better overall results, potentially exiting the group stage early. They will need to find their rhythm early in the tournament to avoid falling into trouble right from the start.
However, what VGJ Storm lacks in pure talent, they make up for with grit and determination. Their past victories against esteemed teams like Team Secret and Vici Gaming prove that they have the potential to succeed in LAN settings, even with a hostile crowd. The question is whether they can unlock that potential once again at TI8.
Player to Watch: Roman “Resolut1on” Fominok
Roman “Resolut1on” Fominok is one of the best core players in the world, with the ability to switch between hard carry and mid positions alongside his teammate Yawar “YawaR” Hassan. He played a crucial role in Team Empire’s surprising top eight finish at TI7, and if he performs well again this year, VGJ Storm could exceed expectations.
Biggest Challenge
Repeating their success at MDL Changsha will be much more challenging at Dota 2’s grandest affair, as they will be up against teams that are superior to them.
Team Grade: C
Considering VGJ Storm’s inconsistency as a team, we give them a C grade in our pre-TI8 assessment. While they have proven themselves in the past, their performance leading up to the world championship event leaves us with doubts.