Category: Best team
Winner:
Alliance dominated most of 2013 through a mix of innovative strategies and hard work, bringing together what in every sense of the word was a team of talented players, to create one of the most dominating presences in Dota 2 to date. They carved out their place as the kings of the Western scene, and they also made history by going to China and becoming the first non-Chinese team to defeat the locals on their home turf. Their efforts culminated in the taking of the greatest single prize pool in e-Sports history when they defeated Na`Vi on the grand finals of the International 2013. Alliance did deteriorate towards the end of the year, but their string of first place finishes throughout the year should be able to cover their recent short slump.
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| Winner: Na`Vi (38%) | Runner-up: Alliance (34%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Most improved team
Winner:
At the start of 2013, there were still quite a lot of doubters when it came to Fnatic being able to earn themselves a spot at The International. Yet 12 months later, it seems impossible to tell the story of Dota 2 without them. They’ve established themselves as the third European powerhouse, forever present on the scene, fighting through tough times in order to time and again give the world's best a run for their money. There is no doubt that heading into the new year, they’ve silenced all doubts regarding whether they will become a mainstay of the scene, and a household name as Dota 2 continues it’s growth in 2014.
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| Winner: Speed (45%) | Runner-up: Fnatic (26%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Most disappointing
Winner:
At the tail end of last year, we lived in a world where China was still the undeniable superpower of Dota and the sole custodians of our future. At this time, the prospect of a team of Western players heading off on this journey to the promised land was not only sensational but hopeful, and that hope was rewarded through their strong showing during the G-League group stages. But as the new year rolled in, things went sour and the LGD.Int experiment turned to dust; losing their own flair and causing many to lose all faith in the prospects of Western Dota. This malaise lasted for several months, until Alliance came in and showed that the answer was not in the LGD.Int model, but that by working hard at home, Western teams could find a new path to success.
Their decision to return to China after The International 3 was nothing but further disappointment for their fans. The team more or less disbanded a few days before their WPC-ACE League playoffs match.
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| Runner-up: LGD.Int (28%) | Results | |
Photos: Virtus.Pro, LGD
Category: Best carry
Winner:
Internally, this was cause for a huge debate as Loda and XBOCT are as close as it could get this year, both performing to the very limits of their capabilities. In the end, our pick was the Swedish “living legend”, who impressed the Chinese with his wide array of carry heroes at the G-1 League and became the flexible backbone for his team. This enabled their style of drafting which could lead the opponents to simply throw up their hands and admit that while they knew what was coming, they could never prevent it from happening. Loda has been the bedrock upon which Alliance built a year of dominance.
Runner-up: XBOCT, for epitomizing the aggressive carry player who takes things to the edge, and then pushes the boundaries of the possible.
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| Winner: XBOCT (39%) | Runner-up: BurNing (30%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Best solo mid
Winner:
Mushi has for a long time been one of the very best players in the world and was widely considered the epitome of a great laner, yet for whatever reason true success has seemed to elude him in the past. However in 2013, not only did Mushi lead Orange to become a constant competitor in Chinese competitions, his versatility allowed the Malaysian sensation to storm The International. Playing an unmatched array of heroes, he thus allowed his team to counter their opponents styles of play by constantly adapting.
Mushi's efforts were rewarded with a third place at The International 3, the best finish for an Eastern team, and ultimately leading him into being picked up by DK. Becoming the dynamo of action for the new super team, Mushi has helped DK make their bid for being the best team in China, and possibly the world, clear.
Runner-up: s4, for his great teamfight awareness as well as impeccable and consistent execution.
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| Winner: Mushi (44%) | Runner-up: Dendi (36%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Best secondary solo
Winner:
There’s little doubt that the Bulldog shot to stardom this year, with his Lone Druid and Nature’s Prophet being perhaps the most defining heroes of the whole year; an ever present thorn in their opponents sides. Bulldog has taken up the mantle left behind by LighTofHeaveN as the great split-pushing semi-carry, having the capability of taking his team on his back, and carrying them to victory when called upon to do so. He may not have been the most versatile this year, but don’t knock what works!
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| Winner: iceiceice (35%) | Runner-up: AdmiralBulldog (29%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Best supports
Winner:
Both Alliance and Na`Vi were the hallmarks of great support play this year, and above all else these two players proved instrumental in creating the positions for their teams to win games, in particular with their shared signature heroes of Chen and Enchantress. Akke pioneered the usage of the Harpy Stormcrafter to help win the middle lane, while Puppey continues being the spearhead of Na`Vi’s efforts to ensure that Dendi gets every rune and every advantage. Great players in their own right, they exemplify what a support is through the sacrifices that they make.
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| Winner: Puppey (25%) | Runner-up: Akke (18%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Most improved player
Winner:
Photo: Armaggeddon
Before this year, you’d be excused if you did not know who Meracle was. Even as he lead First Departure to become a mainstay of the SEA scene, his talents were being paid little attention to until he was given a chance to join the ailing Chinese team, RisingStars. Whilst everything was crumbling around him, Meracle showed that not only could he play with the big boys, he could bring something more to the table - something which few will ever hope to achieve: a kind of vitality and presence that has had even the seasoned professionals singing this young superstar praises.
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| Winner: XBOCT (30%) | Runner-up: Meracle (21%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers (XBOCT), Armaggeddon (Meracle)
Category: Best tournament
Winner:
A combination of a great prize pool, great teams, great community management, and overall fulfilling the expectations that had been brewing for a long time, MLG entered Dota 2 with a splash this year. Much of the credit for the great way this event was conceived has to go to Adam Apicella for going out of his way to listen to the community, which was in turn rewarded with not only our viewership, but our affections.
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| Winner: MLG Columbus (51%) | Runner-up: DreamLeague (19%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Best English caster
Winner:
Draskyl made a name for himself last year as the sidekick to Ayesee, but it wasn’t until he was picked up to be the headliner for The GD Studio that he truly came into his own as a caster. During the past twelve months, Draskyl has established himself as the best analytical caster in Dota as well as a very capable play-by-play person, having a very distinct personality. What he brings to a cast is undeniable, and whilst he has had great competition from last year's winner LD and the much improved crowd favourite TobiWan, we feel that this is the year to highlight the finest Dota 2 has to offer in terms of analysis, for which we give the honours to him.
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| Winner: TobiWan (47%) | Runner-up: LD (19%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Best personality
Winner:
Our beloved prophet, Matt has grown to become not just the embodiment of Valve in the community this year but also an ever expanding presence on camera. His is a take on the game which we love to listen to, and he commands the respect of everyone on the scene. We could not imagine the scene without him, nor would we ever want to.
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| Winner: Bruno (49%) | Runner-up: 2GD (17%) | Results |
Photos: GosuGamers
Category: Best roster transfer
Winner:
While DK gave up much when they let go of rOtk, Super, and QQQ, it is undeniable that the three names they picked up is as good as good as an addition can get for any team. Chinese talent LaNm as well as SEA super-stars iceiceice and Mushi have all received vast amounts of personal praise throughout their careers, but all of them want to further their career by winning. The new roster is a dream come true for the organization and the players, both in terms of PR and potential. Coming out on top of the Fengyun Championship along with earning their spots in the finals of both G-League and WPC ACE League, the current DK roster seems stronger than ever.
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| Winner: DK (57%) | Runner-up: Na`Vi (23%) | Results |
Photos: Eric Brinkley (DK), GosuGamers (Na`Vi)
Category: Biggest upset
Winner:
Going into TI3, LGD.Cn was the most promising of the Eastern teams. They had a perfect group stage run in the year before and surely this would be their year to shine; to bring glory to China and challenge the Western powerhouses that had defeated them on their home turf in the G-1 League and Alienware Cup. And yet all of this was crushed by the North Americans of Team Liquid, who in spectacular fashion sent LGD out of the competition. A true upset, and one even the home crowd was not prepared for.
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| Winner: Speed wins DK @ MLG (43%) | Runner-up: Liquid vs LGD.cn (19%) | Results |
Category: Best drama
Winner:
For all the good that we’ve seen come to Dota 2 this year, we’ve also had some historical low points including the very first betting scandal, brought to us by Solo of RoX.Kis. For a measly $322, not only was a career ended and a team was broken up, our sport was tainted and a discussion about the need for unified rules and a governing body could be required as well. Whilst many of the lofty discussions have not yet lead much further, there’s little doubt these are topics which we will continue to return to in the coming years, as Dota 2 continues its progress towards becoming a fully professional e-Sport.
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| Winner: Solo 322 (34%) | Runner-up: Give Diretide (26%) | Results |
Photo: Steam (Give Diretide)
Category: Best Dota 2 meme
Winner:
It might not have been our community's brightest moment (in more senses than one), but for the reach of this meme and the fact that something so unique to our community got so much attention even outside of it, the monster we spawned has become the monster we all secretly reserve a special place in our hearts for.
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| Winner: Give Diretide | Runner-up: XBOCT (4) | Results |
GosuAwards committee:
Eric 'ReiNNNN' Khor
Linus 'Tjernobylbarnet' Staaf
Johan 'Sun_Tzu' Järvinen
Bogdan 'MarelePisoi' Bugariu
Daren 'Ren' Paul Vitug
Mervyn 'ItchyScratchyBalls' Tan
Vladimir 'Angel' Kojadinovic
Editor:
Eric 'ReiNNNN' Khor (Formatting)
Radoslav 'Nydra' Kolev (Formatting)
Johan 'Sun_Tzu' Järvinen (Text)
Frederick 'WinterEquinox007' Benjamin (Proofreading)
Daren 'Ren' Paul Vitug (Proofreading)