5 non-obvious teams whose matches The Bali Major 2023 we will be watching
Yuriy SheremetOn 29 June, Ayana Estate will open its doors to the world's top 18 teams for DPC 2023: Tour 3. Bali is gearing up for the last Major of the season - The Bali Major 2023 with a prize pool of $500,000 and 3,500 DPC points.
We have already explained why the Bali Major 2023 is worth your attention and today we are going to talk more substantially about the participants in The Bali Major 2023. Obviously, the focus of attention at the Indonesian Major will be the usual faces: Gaimin Gladiators, Liquid, Tundra, EG and others, but you want something out of the ordinary on the eve of the Long Converge The International.
Agree, The Lima Major 2023 and the Berlin Major 2023 were virtually a repeat of the same thing with minor adjustments to the intermediate results: the same teams set the pace, the same people lifted the championship trophy. We can't rule out a repeat of the previous Major Championships in Bali, but we want something different. That's why we've picked five unseen teams we'll watch closely in the Bali Major 2023.
Azure Ray
- Squad: Lou, Somnus, chalice, fy, yftx, LaNm (coach).
Topping our list is the new Chinese team Azure Ray. De facto, a new one, as the squad there is quite famous and, what is more important, battle-hardened.
At DPC 2023: Tour 3, Azure Ray made their debut in the top 4, which can be called a partial success. Throughout 2023, teams from the China region have shown a very mediocre level of play on the international stage, but in fairness the competition within the region remains at a very high level. And while Azure Ray have failed to overtake the giants from PSG.LGD and Aster, leaving Xtreme Gaming behind, and Paparazzi and Dy and Pyw.
What adds spice to Azure Ray is their ascetic nature. The players are rumoured to be performing under the tag of their own free will, with no salaries or other preferential treatment. Apparently, the legends of Chinese Dota are bored of the high-level competition and professional scene and are willing to return to the top by any means necessary.
Why watch Azure Ray matches:
- Somnus and fy on Major e: the former for the first time in a year, the latter in four!
- LaNm on the coach slot.
- Face-off clash with PSG.LGD in the group.
Azure Ray's first game is a match against EG. Pakazs and company are on the rise, so let's see if the returning seniors can overpower the vivacious Peruvians.
Quest Esports
- TA2000, No! ob, ATF, OmaR, kaori, Accell (coach).
Along with Azure Ray, Quest Esports has also been a source of interest at the International. ATF brought the youngsters to the Major, and now Quest are ready to rock. Quest Esports have a better chance of success than Azure Ray.
More so because they had better preparation. Quest Esports did not just jump onto the last bandwagon of a departing train at The Bali Major 2023, quite the contrary. They had a good season in the strongest region in the world.
ATF and company finished in the top 3 at DPC 2023: WEU, which is indeed a result. In the second round of the DPC, for example, Gaimin Gladiators finished third in Western Europe, and then Berlin happened. Not hinting at anything, but this is Western Europe, worth understanding.
Another argument for Quest's legitimate place here is their stability. It sounds rather strange, but it's true: Quest have been playing solidly for two seasons and almost reached the Major last season, losing in Berlin only in tiebreaks.
Why watch Quest Esports matches:
- Top 3 Western Europe. Outplayed Liquid in tiebreaks.
- Players debut at Major e.
- ATF and its "carry" Mars.
Quest Esports will make their debut at Bali Major 2023 with a match against Bleed Esports and this is great news. After all, Bleed is another member of our rankings.
Bleed Esports
- Composition: JaCkky, Kordan, Iceiceice, DJ, DuBu, MISERY (coach).
Bleed became one of the biggest newsmakers in Southeast Asia at Long Conpeg DPC 2023, but quickly disappeared from the limelight. The reason for this was a very mediocre performance in the regional league in the first and second round of the DPC. However, that all changed at DPC 2023: Tour 3.
Having twice found themselves on the verge of relegation to the second division, having finished in the top 6 on DPC Tour 1 and DPC Tour, Bleed Esports gathered their will in their fist and took the championship on DPC 2023: Tour 3. MISERY's support for the coaching slot had to be enlisted for this and it all worked out. The Danish specialist, who previously worked with TSM and took them to the top 2 at ESL One Stockholm, blended harmoniously into Bleed's The International ernational line-up and here they are.
Along with Bleed is Iceiceice. Daryl last played on the Major stage in 2021 and here, two years later, is ready to make a comeback.
Why watch Bleed matches:
- Southeast Asia's Top 1 at home Major e.
- Iceiceice's triumphant (?) return to the big stage.
- An international line-up with bright personalities.
As we said before, Bleed will face Quest Esports in their first match. We tick off this match and add it to our 'must see' list and move on down our list. Next up are Bleed's colleagues in the region.
Blacklist International
- Composition: Raven, Karl, kpii, TIMS, Kuku, ninjaboogie (coach).
Blacklist International in the DPC 2023 season have very similar traits to Bleed. Like Bleed, they had entered the professional scene at the beginning of the year and were doing so too. In the first round of the DPC it was Top 4, in the second it was Top 3 and only managed to qualify for the majors on their third attempt. Home The Bali Major 2023.
If we consider the "construction" of Blacklist, it is a representative of the "old school" and outdated view on team building. They made a roster of "veterans", recruiting all the once top Southeast Asian representatives. They've got Kpii too!
We can see from the example of teams from Europe leading the international scene that there is a generational change in Dota, and veterans can rarely compete with younger and more motivated players. The Bali Major 2023, however, could be an exception.
Why watch the Blacklist International matches:
- Once top Filipinos in an attempt to jump into the top flight.
- Possibly a new, stable club in the expanse of competitive Dota 2.
- Nominally the home scene.
Blacklist will open The Bali Major 2023 with a match against Team Liquid. If you want to give your team a test of their prowess, you won't find a better setting.
Nouns
- Yamsun, Gunnar, Moo, Lelis, Husky, Astin (coach)
Last on the list, but not least, are the Nouns. Frankly, their presence at the Bali Major 2023 is already surprising, and if you imagine they will also play, you'll be shocked.
There are two variants: either the Hokori in the form of The International 2022 and a headache for the opponents in the group, or the standard cyber tourists story and maximum 2 games in the group stage. More inclined to the second scenario, but it's too early to draw conclusions: we should look at the Nouns games. It is not for nothing they reached the Bali Major 2023 from the second place in the domestic league, leaving TSM in the cold. Maybe they can do something.
Why watch the Nouns matches:
- An attempt to Make American Dota Great Again and prove that there are competitive teams in the region apart from Shopify Rebellion.
- "Cat in the Bag" Bali Major a.
- Moo's cammback to the big game.
Nouns first opponent is PSG.LGD. This is a very entertaining match as the legendary PSG.LGD are more of a shadow of themselves from the past in the 2023 season, but are gaining momentum ahead of The International. Here's a look to see if the Nouns will counter them with something.
Ready the popcorn, off to Bali
Watch Azure Ray, Quest Esports, Bleed, Blacklist and Nouns in action from the 29th. The Bali Major 2023 Long Convergence matches will start on June 29 and the group stage will run until July 3 inclusive. We'll keep you updated and share the most important information from the latest Major and DPC 2023, where the majority of The International 2023 entries will be decided.
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Yuriy Sheremet – Expert in mobile gaming and esports among shooters and MOBA games.
At EGamersWorld, Yuriy, as in 2020 when he joined the portal, works with content, albeit with adjustments to his area of responsibility.