image credits: ESL One
Starting off, we have Wings Gaming whose whole roster will be making their debut at TI6. With their recent win at ESL One Manila, where they shocked crowds, teams and perhaps maybe even themselves, Wings have successfully managed to qualify first from the Chinese region to TI6 main event.
Directly invited to the Manila Major after their convincing showing at ESL, they collapsed against compLexity Gaming, who were able to knock them out in the first match of the main event, leaving them with a disappointing 13-16th place finish. Yet, they did look impressive in their run in the tough Chinese qualifiers, and fans wish for The International to be Wings Gaming’s first successful Valve event. Lack of experience and exposure may prove troublesome for them, but the long road to victory is always hard-earned!
image courtesy of Nanyang
With successive consistent showings, LGD Gaming were perhaps the strongest candidates among the few teams that were able to secure a direct invite to this year’s International. Yet, their support Xue 'September' Zhichuan, who has been an integral part of his team’s success since he joined four months ago, will also be among the few Chinese players who will be debuting at this year’s TI. September might be one of these players who has to worry the least about lack of experience and the fact that he would be attending the International for the first time because among his team’s highly-talented players are two TI-winners as well - Zhang 'xiao8' Ning, the captain of the team, and Wang 'Banana' Jiao, their coach/substitute who both won the International 2014 on Newbee.
image courtesy of Nanyang
Another directly invited team to this year’s International - Newbee - who gave Valve their revenge for not being directly invited to the Manila Major by their 29-0 winning streak achieved in the Major Chienese qualifiers and part of the Epicenter Main Event, have one player that never been to The International before, namely Hu 'Kaka' Liangzhi. It is interesting to note that Kaka, although with no experience at an International, will be leading his team through it.
image source: EHOME's twitter
EHOME, a name that shook players to the core at the first International, will be going to Seattle to play the wildcards this year. The team, while having changed their roles since they changed their roster after The Shanghai Major, has two core players who will be going to TI for the very first time - Wang 'old chicken'Zhiyong and Ren 'ELeVeN' Yangwe. Having been a team for a little less than a year, they both have contributed a lot to their team’s successes since, including a fourth place at the Frankfurt Major. Being one of the stronger teams in the Wildcards and having fought hard through the Chinese Qualifiers, EHOME have a strong chance to reach the main event and consequently, a good placing. If it hasn’t struck you yet, the Chinese team in last year’s Wildcards were CDEC Gaming, who went on to play the Grand Finals and place second in the tournament, with a team that also had no past TI experience.
image courtesy of Nanyang
Qualifying directly for the main event through the regional qualifiers, Vici Gaming Reborn have, ever since their formation, looked stronger than their counter-parts in Vici Gaming, who have failed to qualify for this year’s International. Led by the legend whom many consider the God of Rubick and supporting in general, Xu 'fy' Linsen, VG.R have two players who will be playing in the International for the first time - Zhou 'Yang' Haiyang and either Wang 'Nono' Xin or Tong 'mikasa' Junjie (depending on who plays at TI). Yet Vici Gaming Reborn does not seem like a team that would let inexperience influence their performance, rather they seem to be a team modelled on strong leadership and team synergy.
Every year, a Chinese squad surprises audiences and we are anxious to see which team it will be this time. If we follow oracles and some funny statistics, it is shown that Western teams and Chinese teams have alternatively won Internationals - NA’VI, iG, Alliance, Newbee, Evil Geniuses. Following this custom, the Aegis should be taken this year by China, yet in Dota, you can never be too sure!
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