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Table of Contents
1. The finalists
2. ICCup's challenge
3. Black replacing Sockshka in Quantic
4. Location
5. Format and Schedule
6. Casters
7. Prize Pool
8. What to do in Kiev
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The teams
Alliance
What can we say about this team? The Swedish boy band entered the scene in September 2012, at a time of turmoil in the European scene, right after the end of The International 2. Despite their impressive performance during late 2012, the breakthrough for this team came the following year - EGM replaced EternalEnvy, and the now all-Swedish roster came to win it all, with almost $100.000 in cash prizes only the first half of 2013. The Star Series defending champions will return to Kiev, battling for their pride and a sweet addition to their already gigantic tournament earnings.
Quantic Gaming
Quantic has had numerous roster changes during 2012, selecting players from all over the world in an attempt to create a solid DotA 2 roster. However, they had to wait until April 2013 for a roster capable of providing the combination of high individual skill and strong bonds between its members. The current roster, previously known as DD, is a deadly mixture of ex-Empire players Goblak and Silent, and the three French talents that helped the 2012 ex-mTw to win DreamHack Summer 2012. Using their innovative drafting and mind-numbing gameplay, they are some of the most dangerous teams to face in the European and the International scene
Virtus Pro
The Russian powerhouse Virtus Pro has been the home for some of the most famous players in Europe. Their roster is notorious for its frequent modifications, as the team is known for taking drastic measures against instability. The current squad has been pretty solid so far. After the departure of Santa and the arrival of ARS-ART, they have managed to perform well throughout 2013, with the notable first place in The Defense 3. Virtus Pro will enter the Star Series playoffs after their astounding 14-1 performance in the regular season, to prove that they are ready for the upcoming challenges in The International.
ICCup
ICCup is one of the pleasant surprises of 2013. After topping the StarLadder Pro Series, they earned their place among Europe's best. They have shown that they should not be underestimated, after their victories in many "impossible" matches during the first half of 2013. Originally, they finished 9th in Star Series Season VI, but after a series of unexpected events and withdrawals, they have earned their place in the playoffs. The Ukrainians must now prove their worth against three European giants, in their first LAN event of the year.
The challenge for ICCup
??The performance of the Ukrainian team ICCup was adequate, but far from ideal in Star Series. They managed to win only 8 out of 15 matches, with a 53% winrate, earning the ninth place. With the standings being as they were when the online phase ended, reaching the LAN finals seemed impossible for iCCup. Nevertheless, they were favored by many factors:
1) Na'Vi decided to forfeit their second place, to participate in Alienware Cup.
2) Kaipi were unable to come to Kiev, facing financial issues - bringing two players from Canada to Europe is quite expensive.
3) The following candidate for the LAN finals, Mousesports, decided not to participate in the finals as well.
?With the three teams abandoning their spot, the last finalist had to be chosen through a three-team tiebreaker between RoX.KIS, 4Friends + Chrille and iCCup. However, RoX.KIS were disallowed to participate in the tiebreaker due to their match fixing incident in the final days of the regular season. With the Russians gone, the two teams battled each other for the ticket to Kiev - iCCup emerged victorious, to occupy the last slot in the LAN finals.
The Ukrainian team must now prove they are worthy of their place in Star Series LAN finals, and capable of competing against Europe's best teams. A successful run in CyberSports Arena will surely increase the roster's momentum, and boost their fanbase and bank accounts as well.
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Black replacing Sockshka in Quantic
Quantic encountered some grave issues just a couple of days before the playoffs. Titouan 'Sockshka' Merloz allegedly injured his arm badly and according to his tweet, he will need a few days to recover from the injury. Therefore, he will not be joining Quantic in their quest for Starladder throne and in his stead, Quantic will deploy Dominik 'Black' Reitmeier, famous German carry player from Mousesports, as a stand-in.
Considering that Black plays the hard carry role in his team while Sockshka is more of a utility / gank oriented player, there may be some modifications in Quantic's drafting, to help players play the roles they are more familiar with. Going to the LAN finals with a stand-in is an obvious risk for Quantic Gaming, and it remains to be seen whether Black will properly adapt to the new roster, giving the team the chemistry and coordination needed to beat enemies of this caliber.
Location
Just like the previous seasons of Star Series, this season's LAN finals will take place in Kiev CyberSport Arena. This huge eSports paradise has been the home of many famous offline tournaments, and will open its doors for DotA 2 fans once again.
Format and Schedule
The format will not change for this season's playoffs. The teams will have to go through a double elimination bracket, playing against their opponents in best-of-three matches. The grand final will be a best-of-five match, offering a 1-0 advantage to the team that emerges through the winners bracket.
With only four participants in the LAN finals, this format will guarantee a small number of games, making it easier for the teams and casters to organise their time, while making spectating the tournament quite pleasant. The match schedule is quite convenient for European viewers, but those in other continents might encounter slight issues due to different time zones.
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Casters
The games will be broadcasted in English and Russian language.
The English casting will be provided by Toby 'Tobiwan' Dawson and Jorien 'Sheever' van der Heijden
The Russian casting will be handled by Vitalii 'v1lat' Volochai, Roman 'CaspeRRR' Lepekhin and Vladislav 'mtrx4u Sudzal through Starladder TV.
Prize Pool
The prize pool for Star Series Season VI is quite higher than the previous versions of the tournament. This year, the winner will bring home $12.000 (compared to $8000 last season), the second placer will earn $6000 ($4000 last year), the third runner-up gets $3000 ($2000 last year) and the last finalist gets $1500 ($1000 last year). This reward enhancement makes Star Series quite prestigious, and the prizes are quite tempting for the competitors.
| Star Series VI prizes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Placing | Teams | Prize money |
| 1st place | $12,000 | |
| 2nd place | $6,000 | |
| 3rd place | $3,000 | |
| 4th place | $1,500 | |
What to do in Kiev?
Kiev is a beautiful city of Eastern Europe and it has numerous sights to keep its visitors entertained. Here are some of the famous tourist attraction in Kiev:
The Independence Square
Also known as Maidan Nezalezhnosti, this is the central square of Kiev and the most important one. Its decorations are quite impressive, and many events take place around it.
Kievo Pecherskaya Lavra
The magnificent monastery is one of Ukraine's most praised attractions. While admiring its beauty, you can also read some of the myths and rumors surrounding its establishment.
Kreschatik
This is one of the busiest streets in Kiev, and it connects many of Kiev's major attractions. One can find buildings of spectacular architecture, prime examples of the city's 18th century design.
