Group Stage Of The Bali Major 2023: Challenges For The EEU, SEA Exits, WEU Dominance, And More

The scene was set for the playoffs of the last Major of the DPC 2023 season when the group stages of the Bali Major 2023 ended.

The 2-hour, 16-minute match between Quest Esports and the Gaimin Gladiators and Blacklist International’s record-breaking comeback versus Invictus Gaming are only two of the tournament’s noteworthy highlights.

Along with Southeast Asian (SEA) nations’ disappointment and the comeback of Western European (WEU) supremacy, the Major also features the varied fortunes of Eastern European (EEU) teams.

WEU Teams Proving Their Dominance

WEU clubs have reemerged in the Bali Major playoffs, dominating the group rounds. Team Liquid, Tundra Esports, Quest Esports, and Gaimin Gladiators, the four WEU teams competing at the Major, have all earned spots in the Top 4 in both groups.

The outcome demonstrates that the WEU teams are once again the strongest in the whole world, with Quest Esports emerging as the newest WEU force and claiming first place in Group B. Gaimin Gladiators, on the other side, want to match OG’s record by winning their third major championship of the DPC 2023 season.

SEA Teams Excluded from The Major

The group stages of the Bali Major have not been kind to SEA teams at all, in contrast to how well the WEU went. A tragic end for the area is marked by the elimination Execration, Bleed Esports, and Blacklist International from the competition.

Despite their early setbacks, SEA teams were optimistic about a comeback, especially with Blacklist International and Bleed Esports having tiebreakers to guarantee a playoff position.

However, their efforts eventually proved fruitless as they lost to Azure Ray and Shopify Rebellion, respectively.

Eastern European Difficulties

Although all Eastern European clubs have qualified for the playoffs, they have performed more inconsistently than their WEU counterparts.

In the upper bracket of the playoffs, BetBoom is the lone Eastern European representative, displaying its consistency and competence throughout the group rounds. On the other hand, 9 Pandas and Team Spirit will start their playoff run in the bottom bracket and have to work their way up to win the title.

The domination of WEU teams in the group stages of the Bali Major 2023 has reemerged as it did in the previous tournaments of the DPC 2023 season as the competition enters its playoff round.

Contrarily, removing all SEA teams is a setback for the area, especially as the Major is being played on their home field. The Eastern European teams, although gaining playoff places, face various hurdles, with BetBoom in the top bracket and 9Pandas and Team Spirit beginning their trip from the lower bracket.

This information is for the bettors who keenly keep their eyes on Dota 2 odds and the market. The playoffs offer exciting matchups as teams compete for the ultimate prize at the Bali Major 2023.

Permanently Banned Player Koma Is Now A Streamer For Team Spirit

Ilya “Illidan” Pivcaev and Kamil “Koma” Biktimirov have been signed as broadcasters by Team Spirit, the winners of The International 10, in an unexpected decision that has astonished the Dota 2 community.

This choice is made despite Koma’s lifetime ban from Valve’s Dota 2 competitions for cheating and breaking the rules during the Open Qualifiers for the Dota Pro Circuit 2023: Tour 1.

The Dota 2 community has expressed concern over Team Spirit’s choice to include Koma in their roster of streamers since it raises issues with the company’s views on responsibility and second chances.

Since the organization is just signing the player as a streamer, some community members have reacted negatively to the decision, while others have responded more neutrally.

Exclusion Of Komaa and Others

Ten players were permanently barred from Valve’s Dota 2 events in December 2022 due to cheating and rule breaches during the Open Qualifiers for the Dota Pro Circuit 2023: Tour 1 by tournament organizer PGL.

The gamers were discovered to have been swapping accounts and playing as members of other teams in the official games, both of which are expressly forbidden by Valve in any competitions.

Together with nine other players, Koma was permanently barred from competing in upcoming Valve competitions, ending their entire Dota 2 careers. The memorable message from Valve that cheating and unfair play would not be allowed was sent by the permanent bans.