Invictus Gaming: Struggling to Regain Former Glory
The name “Invictus Gaming” was once synonymous with success in the competitive Dota 2 scene. Last year, their 2017 roster, led by the legendary Xu “BurNing” Zhilei, had impressive performances in major events, including a first place finish at the Dota 2 Asia Championship. Despite this, their campaign at The International ended disappointingly.
However, this year, Invictus Gaming has failed to be in the conversation of the best teams in the world. With a new lineup after BurNing’s departure, they have struggled to find their footing. Their presence in the Pro Circuit events has been limited, attending only two out of 22 events and failing to score any points.
Running with runners-up
It’s a challenging road ahead for Invictus Gaming at TI8. They narrowly made it through the highly competitive Chinese regional qualifier, losing the first available slot to Team Serenity. The team is fortunate to be in the running for the Aegis of Champions, especially with three out of five players from their TI7 squad still with them.
It’s worth noting that Sun “Agressif” Zheng and Fu “Q” Bin, players from the CDEC Gaming lineup that made it to the TI5 grand finals, now play for Invictus Gaming. Their veteran experience and leadership will be crucial for the team to face stronger opponents in the tournament.
However, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Invictus Gaming in Vancouver. Fans will have to hope for a quick turnaround in their TI8 bootcamp or for standout performances from Agressif or Lin “Xxs” Jing in their respective core roles. Even then, it may not be enough.
Player to watch
Xxs, as the offlaner for Invictus Gaming last year, gained a reputation for coming through in tense clutch moments, particularly when playing Magnus. His decision-making and unwavering determination make him one of the best players in the world.
Biggest challenge
Invictus Gaming is a team that wouldn’t be surprising to miss out on the main event. Even the squads expected to make the top eight far surpass them. While we don’t expect anything extraordinary from Invictus Gaming, they do have two players who have shown they can make miracle runs possible.
Team grade
Unfortunately, Invictus Gaming receives a discouraging D this time around. They have achieved nothing noteworthy this year and almost didn’t qualify for the tournament in the first place.
