Road to Bucharest — Thunder Predator
Yuriy SheremetCarrying on introducing participants of a spectacular pageantry called The International 10. In the previous episode of «Road to Bucharest» we told you about SG esports beating a path to the big Dota for South America.
In the second episode we are not going to break the sequence and follow the second contestant for the region – Thunder Predator. Let’s dive into history again and look at what the predators left behind their entrance to TI10.
Enjoy reading and don’t forget to visit the comment section.
Thunder Predator’s Portfolio
After the pilot episode of «Road to Bucharest», a decision was made behind the curtains of EGamersWorld: we decided to add a point about the input data of each team. Briefly telling you the most important facts about Thunder Predator:
- Date of foundation of the club: 12 March 2017;
- Roster at The International 10: Mnz, Leostyle-, Frank, MoOz, Mjz, Fear (coach);
- Region: South America;
- How they proceeded to The International: 12 place in the DPC rating;
- Main achievements: the 9th-12th place at The Chongqinq Major, the 5th-6th place at BTS Pro Series Season 8.
We have covered Thunder superficially, and now let’s dig in and plunge into the predators’ history.
First Appearance
The competitive stage welcomed Thunder Predator on 12 March 2017. It happened in the time of formation of the South American Dota 2 stage, and several weeks later SG esports made a miracle in Kyiv.
In the first year of existence of the club, the Peruvian players did not have much to show off. The team took part in local events and got to show good gaming for their region.
In the first year of their existence, Thunder Predator were a normal team and they had a long way to go to reach the status of SG or Infamous. Thunder had a great opportunity to keep up with their fellow countrymen in 2018 but they lost their chance.
First attempt to make it to The International and a local scandal
Gradually gathering momentum, Thunder Predator was becoming more and more dangerous. They got really close to elimination battles for international tournaments: the third place at the qualifiers for ESL One Katowice 2018, the third place at the qualifiers for China Dota2 Supermajor, and the same position at the elimination round at ESL One Birmingham 2018.
Thunder Predator entered Top in the region, and it resulted in a slot at the closed qualifiers for The International.
Surrounded by SG esports, paiN Gaming and Infamous, it was no use waiting for worthy results from Thunder Predator, but the secondary role did not work for the predators.
The group stage made it clear that Thunder Predator was dead set on, and their ambitions to go to The International could beat motivation of the foremost clubs from South America. Thunder Predator’s ambitions were sufficient, but apart from them, the club had something that could crush their dreams and erase them away from the stage forever.
After the group stage Thunder Predator looked severe, but their next opponents appeared to be the Brazilians from SG esports who had been dreaming about a trip to the main tournament of the industry for a long time. The Brazilians were not supposed to have any troubles with the situation.
After the start of the first round of the playoff bracket of the qualifiers for The International 10 from South America, the community got buzzed. Thunder Predator, who had not been heard of several months earlier, beat the main challengers.
Such things were not rare in South America but this case was especially noticeable in particular. And there was a reason for this.
The organizers of the elimination round from Faceit investigated the issue and concluded that a player from Thunder, Atun, used scripts. As a result, the esportsmen from Thunder Predator got banned from participation.
Luckily, the violation was not critical and the organization claimed that they did not know about the rules of the tournament but admitted Atun’s guilt. The players managed to avoid a ban from Valve.
First major and a new attempt
After the incident at the qualifiers for The International 8, Thunder Predator did not retreat into the shadows and carried on performing on the professional stage. Moreover, they even visited a major.
At the qualifiers for The Chongqing Major, Thunder Predator took third place. By the way, 2 teams will represent South America at the tournament.
It is a pity, of course, but what can we do? The solution appeared itself.
The qualifiers in South America was victorious for Test123 which is represented by only one Brazilian player. The organizers of the event found it unjustified, so the mix got disqualified and their slot was given to Thunder.
Thunder Predator’s trip to The Chongqing Major was an absolute surprise for the community and the predators themselves. Maybe this factor let the team show worthy gaming.
At the major in Chongqing Thunder Predator took the 9th-12th place. Chaos Esports Club finished in the same position and it meant that the tournament was quite profitable for South America.
Unfortunately, the future didn’t hold any streaks of good luck this year. They would appear a bit later in 2021, but meanwhile Thunder Predator were trying to climb up to the top of the South American Dota, participating in local events and trying their luck at the qualifiers for TI.
In 2019, Thunder Predator took fourth place at the qualifiers and said goodbye to a chance to pay at the main tournament of the year. But they never let go of their ambitions and desires to elevate Peru at the international stage.
Productive 2020
In 2020 the world was taken over by the COVID-19 pandemic, so the esports clubs resorted to online events. This period was one of the most successful in the history of the club. Till 2021, apparently.
In 2020, Thunder won BTS Pro Series Season 4: Americas, Movistar Liga Pro Gaming Final Series, Movistar Liga Pro Gaming Season 5, and before that they held prize places at various local events like ESL One Thailand 2020: Americas, DOTA Summit 13: Online and so on.
The pandemic turned out to be lengthy, but fortunately in 2021 the situation started to get back to normal and teams returned to regular LAN events. Alongside, the updated DPC system returned, too.
It’s time for the predators.
Surprising year and a trip to The International
The DPC system in 2021 involved division of the competitive stage into regional leagues. This is what you already know.
These conditions must have become a perfect launching ground for teams that are about to join the first echelon. Medium clubs that had a chance to get hooked on something bigger than a performance at another local event.
Thunder Predator reacted fast and thanks to their experience made themselves an efficient roster that rushed to conquer the DPC league. They did it with lightning speed.
In the first season they took second place in the upper division and the players joined beastcoast in their trip in order to try to win the first LAN in a year and half. Sadly for beastcoast’s fans, El Chacha and the team did not come to the event, so the region was represented only by Thunder Predator.
The predators accepted the challenged and coped with the task well. In the group stage, the Peruvians defeated all their opponents leaving PSG.LGD, Vici Gaming, Liquid, Aster and others behind.
The surprise factor, not serious treatment by the opponents and simple luck. How else can we explain this performance from the second team of the region?
The benefit event for the South American Dota in Singapore didn’t leave anyone indifferent. Thunder made us fall in love with their gaming, and the CIS best team and the strongest team in China were unable to fend off the predators in the playoff.
Only the future champions from Invictus Gaming managed to stop Thunder, even though it was hard. Thunder, as well as SG esports, showed that South America can play Dota.
Later Thunder Predator finished in third place of the second DPC season and missed a major in Kyiv but it was not enough to make it to the main tournament of the season. The predators jumped into the last carriage heading for Bucharest taking the twelfth position and getting the last direct invitation to The International.
We are going to continue our observation over Thunder from 7 October. That’s it for today.
See you later on EGamersWorld.
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.