A new Chinese super team arrives as Somnus, Chalice, and fy reunite for Tour 3 DPC.
The post-Major Dota 2 roster shuffle has begun and we are already seeing exciting lineups! The Chinese scene specifically, has seen massive shuffles. This includes the birth of a new Chinese super team in Dota 2. It is a new stack comprising familiar faces - players of old who mark their return including Lu "Somnus" Yao and Yang "Chalice" Shenyi. Both of these notable TI finalists return to team up with their former teammate and captain, Xu "fy" Linsen.
This Dota 2 stack is still unnamed. Xtreme Gaming's owner had acquired a slot in Division I and handed it to Somnus' stack, this presumably being Ybb Gaming's slot. All of the players are now registered under Ybb Gaming on the Dota 2 Majors registration page.
UPDATE: This stack now has an official name called AZURE RAY and they are joined by Zhang "LaNm" Zhicheng as coach.
Here's the full Dota 2 roster of their stack (Ybb Gaming):
- Lou "Lou" Zhen
- Lu "Somnus" Yao
- Yang "Chalice" Shenyi
- Jiang "天命" An (TianMing)
- Xu "fy" Linsen
Berlin Major motivated Somnus and Chalice to return
Somnus and Chalice have been away from competitive Dota 2 for almost eight months since their devastating run with Royal Never Give Up (RNG) at TI11. Since then, both of them had been putting their focus on streaming and connecting with their fans.
But the recently concluded Berlin Major had inspired the iconic duo to return. According to CN Dota In A Nutshell on Twitter, Somnus had been co-casting Berlin Major with Chalice and fy. The games and LAN environment made them yearn for that competition once again and so they decided to team up for Tour 3 DPC.
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Fy leaves Vici Gaming to reunite with former teammates
Legendary Chinese captain, fy, made his return from a one-year hiatus in the middle of 2022. He had a couple of rough Tours, initially playing with Invictus Gaming in Division II and later Vici Gaming. Despite earning a promotion to Division I, him and Vici Gaming tumbled back to Division II in the recent Tour 2 DPC.
This unpromising journey likely prompted fy to reset and find other opportunities. The 28-year-old captain will now lead his former teammates for Tour 3 DPC.
Lou and 天命 (TianMing) round up the team
Somnus, Chalice, and fy are joined by 21-year-old carry player, Lou, who has a short yet impressive competitive record. Lou began his Dota 2 career in late 2021 with Ybb Gaming and immediately qualified for the China DPC. He then played for Xtreme Gaming throughout 2022, showcasing great achievements. This includes a first-place finish in the OGA Dota PIT Season 6: China and a top 3 placement in the Tour 2 Regional Final.
And finally, the team is completed by 27-year-old pos 4, TianMing. He has played on a couple of Chinese powerhouses, namely EHOME and Team Aster. He has also played in numerous Dota 2 Majors and Minors - reaching a peak top 6 at the ESL One Hamburg 2017 with Keen Gaming and a top 6 at the Chongqing Major with EHOME. TianMing will bring almost a decade's worth of competitive experience to this lineup.
Ame is still tied to PSG.LGD
Apparently, Somnus had thought of grabbing his former teammate in PSG.LGD, Wang "Ame" Chunyu, who is currently on a break. He's one of the most notable Dota 2 players in China who's not competing. And his addition to this stack would be exciting to long-time fans. However, Somnus revealed that Ame still has a contract with PSG.LGD.
Stay tuned to Esports.gg for more Dota 2 news and updates!
