Not the results we expected from one of the best teams in the world.
DreamLeague Season 22 is the tournament most players were eagerly anticipating. It boasts an impressive $1 million prize pool and offers EPT points, which can secure a direct invitation to Riyadh Masters 2024. Team Liquid's Dota 2 roster currently has 3578 EPT points, placing them among the top four on the leaderboard.
However, after their 13th to 14th place finish at DreamLeague Season 22, they only gained 98 points, while many competitors are still in contention. It's worth noting that Team Liquid recently competed in the BetBoom Dacha 2024 Grand Finals, where they were defeated by Team Falcons, but managed to beat fan favorites like BetBoom Team, Gaimin Gladiators, and Azure Ray just weeks ago.
Why Team Liquid was eliminated so early
The new Dota 2 patch 7.35c has been challenging for teams to adapt to. Team Liquid appears to have struggled with the latest changes, experimenting with heroes like Tiny, Crystal Maiden, Rubick, Batrider, and Leshrac with varying success. Insania, in a post-match interview, shared insights about the team's performance and mindset.
- Mentality: After BetBoom Dacha in Dubai, Insania flew back home to relax and play some pubs. Allegedly, he lost around 1,000 MMR, so his confidence may have been hit.
- Heroes of Might and Magic: Jenkins accused Insania of not playing Dota 2 to focus on Runescape. He said this is not true, but he admitted that he's a HoMM enjoyer. This may not be relevant, but there's that.
- Not Bootcamping: Insania mentioned that they haven't been playing from their bootcamp, preferring the comfort of home, which hasn't translated into better results.
What teams were eliminated from DreamLeague S22?
Team Liquid exited the tournament with $15,000 USD, but they weren't the only one. The elimination process involves two Group Stages, with the first nearly complete. Two groups of eight teams compete in best-of-two (Bo2) rounds, with eight teams getting eliminated. The remaining eight then face off in a single-round robin under the Bo3 format, with the bottom four teams exiting.
Notable teams like Tundra Esports, Team Secret, Azure Ray, and G2.iG have also been eliminated. Meanwhile, Gaimin Gladiators, Team Liquid's long-standing rivals, risk elimination if they lose their upcoming tiebreaker matches against OG and Virtus.Pro on Feb. 29, starting at 3 a.m. PST.
After the tiebreakers, we'll provide an update on the teams advancing to Group Stage 2 and their playoff chances. For more DreamLeague Season 22 updates, stay tuned to esports.gg!