DreamLeague Season 10’s Grand Finals went a full five games, with Tigers beating Natus Vincere in a tight series. Tigers takes home $125,000 (USD), 120 Dota 2 Pro Circuit (DPC) points, and an invitation to the Kuala Lumpur Major, which begins on November 9 in Malaysia.
With the win, Tigers takes home $125,000 (USD), 120 Dota 2 Pro Circuit (DPC) points, and an invitation to the Kuala Lumpur Major
Tigers, a Southeast Asian team, formed for the 2018-19 season. Three players were part of the former TNC Tigers squad. For this season, Valve requires each organization to field only one team in the DPC. TNC retained their TNC Predator squad. Thus, Tigers left the organization in September. At that time they dropped their position one and three players, picking up Lai “Ahjit” Jay Son and David “Moonmeander” Tan instead.
Setting the tone for the tournament, Tigers won their group during DreamLeague’s Group Stage. In the playoffs, they traveled straight through the Upper Bracket. First, they beat CIS squad Natus Vincere 2-1. Then, Tigers sent Chinese team Royal Never Give Up to the Lower Bracket in a 2-1 victory. They faced Natus Vincere again in the Grand Finals. The two teams traded blows, both looking very strong in different games. Tigers took games one and four, while Natus Vincere took two and three.
It all came down to game five. Tigers looked strong right from the start, taking an early lead with a kill at 2:39 and then never relinquishing it. They kept the pressure on to win by 36:48, securing first place and that all-important invitation to the Major.
The tournament talent voted for an MVP, selecting Tigers Captain Theeban “1437” Siva. The $1,000 (USD) cheque was awarded to him for his strong drafting that allowed each member of the team to shine, as well as his gameplay.
What Makes A “Dream” League?
DreamLeague’s appeal lies in its unique personality. With no audience, the production makes frequent use of pre-recorded noises such as audiences cheering, booing and other sound effects. The LAN was hosted in a late-night talk show manner, with Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden at a desk and the panel seated on a couch beside her.
One of DreamLeague’s recurring features are the “red button” segments. These are used to fill time between series. The segments featured “Sad Panda,” a character who ran several games and contests in which the talent participated.
Two of the most memorable events-within-the-event were a painting contest and a 1v1 mid-contest, both of which Ioannis “Fogged” Loucas won.
Coming Soon
DreamLeague will return for its eleventh season as the Stockholm Major, the third Major in the DPC season. There will be Regional Qualifiers in February 2019 (exact dates to be announced) and a LAN March 14-24.
The next DPC event is the Kuala Lumpur Major, running November 9-18. Tigers will face fifteen additional teams in a bid for more DPC points. With 15,000 points on the line and a cash prize pool of $1,000,000 (USD), the Kuala Lumpur Major is set to be the biggest event to take place since The International 8.
