The International qualifiers are around the corner and teams and players are shuffling in hopes of a spot and some unlikely and surprising shifts are happening.
The International 2023 qualifiers are set to begin in just mere weeks. Only eight teams will qualify for TI through the Regional Qualifiers; two teams from South America and Western Europe, and only one team each from North America, Eastern Europe, China, and Southeast Asia.
With everything on the line, teams are spending the last days preparing the best possible lineups in hopes to secure a spot. Players are relocating around the [world] map in hopes of landing their place and timing just right for the fight.
In just the last two days some unlikely combinations and changes have happened across the landscape.
Here's a quick recap of what it looks like so far.
Southeast Asia
Team Aster went with a rather unexpected decision, replacing BoBoKa with Hu "Kaka" Liangzhi but it seems that the Chinese player will be heading to SEA to compete with BOOM esports.
Team SMG has been struggling all season. The best they were able to do this season was 3rd place in Tour 2 for Division I of the DPC. That said, it seems that they are pinning their hopes on no[o]ne to save them.
Europe
A yearlong of roster instability for OG ended with moving their position 5 support, Tommy "Taiga" Le to inactive status. He is now being replaced with NA player Kartik "Kitrak" Rathi in the lineup.
Entity wasn't close to an invite, despite starting the season strong with a 5-6th place finish at Lima Major. So they decided to parting ways with Tobias "Tobi" Buchner who had been with the team since November 2021. His new home now? Quest Esports.
North America
Taiga will head west to NA himself for WildCard Gaming. Jacob "Husky" Fifik will also be joining him on the team.
B8 has made the decision to create an ALMOST full Ukranian lineup to compete in NA as well.
The International 2023: Qualiifers
- All teams that participated in the final tour of the current DPC season that aren’t qualified to The International 2023 by finishing top 12 in DPC rankings are eligible to participate provided that they did not replace more than two players from their final tour roster.
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Only six teams will qualify through the Regional Qualifiers; one team each from North America, South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, China, and Southeast Asia.
- Read Should Valve have dropped LCQ from The International?
The International Qualifier dates:
- NA/China August 17-21
- SA/ EEU August 22-26
- EU/SEA August 27-31
The International 2023
The International returns to the US after four editions held around the world. TI7 was the last edition hosted by the Key Arena in Seattle, where Team Liquid lifted the Aegis of Champions. From there on, each year TI went to different parts of the globe. Key Arena, which now is Climate Pledge arena from Seattle will be the home for The International 2023.
The International 2023: October 27-29
The eight teams that make it to The International 2023 (TI12) will play at the refurbished Key Arena, now Climate Pledge Arena, for a shot at the most wanted Dota 2 trophy, the Aegis of Champions.
Friday and Saturday will feature the upper bracket semifinals and finals, along with the first round of elimination matches. The top three teams will return to the arena on Sunday, October 29 for the lower bracket finals followed by the best-of-five grand finals.
