Everything you need to know about the DPC’s Division II Winter Tour.
Even though the 2023 DPC Division I matches are still ongoing, we are just a couple of days away from the beginning of Division II. There is no arguing that the games where won’t have as many fans as those in Div 1. However, this doesn’t mean they won’t be worth watching because there are many big names that stand out.
During the 2022 DPC, the Division I and II matches took place side by side. Fortunately, Valve decided to change this for 2023 so that people could focus on what is essential for them. This was definitely a good move for the Division II teams because they will get more attention.
Speaking of the 2023 DPC Division II, every region has many interesting teams that we have to pay attention to. So, let’s learn more about them.
General Information
What’s important to remember about Division II of the 2023 DPC is that each region will have 8 teams. Unlike their colleagues from Division I, who had to compete for a Major slot, the two best-performing teams here will get a slot for Division I. Of course, the bottom 2 will be eliminated from the DPC.
Another big difference between the two divisions is the prize pool. Even though the best teams in the world competed for a solid reward, the best in Division II will split a total of $75,000. What’s more, there won’t be any DPC points needed for The International 12.
Similar to the matches in Division I, the teams here will play in a round-robin format over the course of 3 weeks. Every series will be in a Bo3 format, and people can watch the matches live on Twitch.
Now that we’ve learned some information about Division II in general, it is time to take a look at the teams themselves. Starting with Western Europe, which people consider the strongest in the world, there are several big names here to keep an eye on.
Of course, Alliance is the big favorite because the Swedish powerhouse changed its roster for the new DPC. Instead of sticking with Nikobaby and the rest, Alliance has the likes of s4, charlie, and Handsken on its roster. Needless to say, this makes the team the big favorite in Division II.
Apart from Alliance, Ancient Tribe and Team Bald Reborn are the other 2 big names in Division II. The first squad consists of players like LeBronDota and lil pleb, both of whom have a lot of experience in the DPC. As for TBR, you can find the likes of w33, Gorgc, Pablo, and more.
Moving to Eastern Europe, Division II of the 2023 DPC looks pretty interesting. However, there aren’t that many famous players like before because the best teams in the region secured a slot for Division I. However, one club stands out, and that’s PuckChamp.
People who’ve followed the 2022 EEU DPC remember that PC was one top 3 favorites. However, the team wasn’t able to live up to the expectations and lost several series. In the end, young G, Malik, and the rest ended up in Division II, where they’ll have to secure a slot for Division I.
Aside from PuckChamp, cybercats is also an interesting team because it consists of several top-tier Russian players. However, we are yet to see them in action against the best from Eastern Europe’s Division II.
When it comes down to China, is one of the regions that people love watching because the teams are unpredictable. Even though Division I is way more interesting than Division II, there is one team that is above the rest right now, and that’s Vici Gaming.
One of China’s best Dota 2 teams had many problems in the 2022 DPC and couldn’t show its prowess. Surprisingly, the team dropped to Division II, which is why Erika, Setsi, and the rest will now have to earn their Division I slot once again.
Interestingly, Outsiders from CN is another team that most players will probably pay close attention to. Their star player Echo is one of China’s top-tier midders right now, so it will be fun to see him in action against the best in the region.
Even though Division II in Southeast Asia might not be that interesting right now, Tour 2 will be amazing to watch. Fnatic and BOOM, two of the big favorites in SEA, lost tons of matches and finished in the bottom 2 slots in Division I. Consequently, we will see both in Division II during Tour 2.
With that said, there are 2 teams that will be interesting to keep an eye on. Army geniuses is one of them because it has the likes of InYourdreaM, and the second one is Myth Avenge gaming. The latter got here following the Closed Qualifiers and has players likes of zeal and Meracle.
North America is one of the worst Dota 2 regions because the top teams didn’t win anything in 2022. However, Division II will give us access to several popular names, which means that it will be interesting to watch.
Starting with The Cut and felt, these two squads were a part of Division I in 2022, but they’ve failed to live up to the expectations and dropped into Division II. Fart Studious is another team that players will definitely follow up close because this will be BSJ’s attempt to reach Division I.
Last but not least, we have South America, the region where BC and Thunder Awaken have to accept that they need to deal with EG to attend big international events. Unsurprisingly, Division I here is way more interesting to watch than Division II, but there are several interesting names to keep an eye on.
Balrogs, for example,e were one of the squads that were a part of Division I in 2022. Mad Kings is also an intriguing team because Rena and Smoker are two of Peru’s big PUB stars.
The action in Division II kicks off in just a couple of days from now, so make sure to follow ESTNN for more information. We will try to provide you with daily recaps and the most interesting news.
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