DK at a recent G-1 Finals (Photo by SGamer)

It is a momentous evening for the Dota 2 competitive scene as news of The International broke out after a drawn out period of silence. DK announce their invitation to this year's event in Seattle, and news media Dota 2 GK99 are there to cover the story - DK's Farseer and LongDD reports.

First of all, congratulations on being the first team in the world to receive an invite to the tournament in Seattle this year. Give our readers an introduction of yourselves.
LongDD: "Hello everyone, I'm LongDD and I currently play for DK. I have seven years of experience playing the game."

Farseer: "Hello everyone, I'm DK's leader Farseer."

I bet you guys must be feeling ecstatic right now. What were your initial reactions when you saw the invite?
LongDD: "Over the moon, of course. It didn't come to me as a surprise, but the fact that we were the first team to get the invite - that's where we feel incredibly honored."

Farseer: "Initially, I felt happy but then I realized the pressure that was now on us. As the first team to be invited, we should naturally be under pressure to perform."

What lineup will your team field to the competition this year? Will it be your original DotA lineup, or a whole new mix of players?
LongDD: "We will participate with our current five - that will never change."

What are your thoughts anticipating the tournament (the teams, etc) this year?
LongDD: "At the moment, we are still playing at a level behind most of the top Dota 2 teams in the scene, but in the coming months leading to The International, all cards are on the table - we will train seriously and close in on that gap."

Farseer: "Our current goal for the tournament is just to get better, and there are no specific goals as of yet."

Will we see your team focus more on Dota 2 now? How will you prioritize between your DotA and Dota 2 commitments?
LongDD: "We'll focus heavily on Dota 2 now. As for DotA, you'll see us doing last minute preparations before tournaments."

Farseer: "Definitely, we will step up on our training for Dota 2 for the next three months. Our balance between the two games will have to depend on how our tournament schedule will run."

Dota 2 is anticipated to be released next year. Will DK officially go full force into the game?
Farseer: "That will depend on how things work out this year."

Farseer mentioned previously that there was still a huge gap between China and the rest of the world in Dota 2, but recent performances suggest that we are slowly catching up. What are your thoughts now?
LongDD: "Yes, we have certainly improved. When we started Dota 2, we lost to every team we played."

Farseer: "Well, the gap is still there, but based on our recent performances, I would say that Chinese teams are slowly catching up after all the practice they have put in."

What will be your main focus during trainings from now till The International?
LongDD: "We want to get used to the game, and be familiar of the buffs and abilities. You must know that when we started we had no idea how things worked. After we have that settled, we'll move on to understanding some of the tactics and mechanics that underlie the game."

Were there any changes or instances of the game that left a deep impression on you?
LongDD: "I remember a game where we had second pick on Radiant and immediately after loading we just went straight into Captain's Mode ban stage (without having to type anything). Apart from that, I think that the way you jungle in Dota 2 can be improved, as well as Roshan."

Do you think Na`Vi will be dethroned at The International this year?
LongDD: "There's definitely a possibility - I expect The International to be an exciting, intense affair."

Do you think Dota 2 will take off in China?
LongDD: "It should. Dota 2 is still quite similar to the original and you can play with people from all around the world."

Farseer: "For our market, it will come down to which organisation gets distributing rights. That's a major factor."

When Dota 2 is released, will your team make the switch completely or juggle both games?
LongDD: "I think we will take both on at once. It will be hard, but we won't give up on either."

Farseer: "We will still be focusing on both games this year, and have no plans of taking in new members for Dota 2."

What is your attitude towards the Gigabyte Dota 2 Masters?
LongDD: "Well, it serves as training for us to get in shape for this year's event in Seattle. It'll also serve to mark out our progress."

So results and placings are secondary?
LongDD: "I wouldn't say they are secondary. Results and placings provide a source of affirmation for the team, and we still want to do well."

I bet there will be a ton of hot babes to welcome your team at the event in July. Any member of your team horny enough to get picked up?
LongDD: "We'll be focusing on the tournament!"

Farseer: "It'll be good if they don't feel nervous at the event - if they can find it in their mind to flirt, well, then, good for them *laughs*"

Any shoutouts?
LongDD: "Shoutout to all our fans and friends of DK, and thank you GK 99. I would also like to thank our sponsors i_rocks."

Farseer: "Thanks to all our supporters - I hope China can make a splash at The International this year!"

Links
Dota 2 GK 99 - Original Article

"In the coming months, all cards are on the table"