It is the last week of the DPC 2021-2022 Season Winter Tour and despite no longer having a Major to aim for, there are still reasons why the final games matter.
Last week, Valve unceremoniously announced that they were canceling the first Major of the DPC 2021-2022 season. Met with much shock and much criticism for the manner in delivering the information to all of the teams involved (read: lack of and none), they were forced to issue an apology shortly after.
Although many noted it was acceptable that the event is canceled in the face of another COVID-19 wave sweeping across the globe, the idea that the teams worked until the witching hour with no incentive or reward made the season feel pointless. The DPC points would be allocated to the remaining two seasons (no promises that those will happen though) and there was nothing said about any distribution of the prize pool.
Many noted there were alternatives for a LAN Major, including inter-regional online events or 'minors' for each region. Valve promised that they would 'look into a plan'.
Meanwhile, the teams continued to compete despite some feeling like they should boycott, and it is now the last week of gameplay.
So besides their sanity, motivation, and urge to learn/play new games at stake, there are still relegations into Division II that will happen.
Here's what to keep an eye on this week that matters most.
China
Travel complications post-COVID left some of the Division 1 teams stranded in Europe after TI10 and they joined the season late but played in a more concentrated format, with all teams having multiple series scheduled each week, their season will still end on January 21.
That means, there is still a plethora of games to catch, and that matters in not just relegation but also rankings.
Eastern Europe
Gambit and Mind Games are both in a position for relegation to the lower division and will need to square off against each other on January 20th at 12 CET to determine their fates.
Mind GamesSEA
TNC Predator is already in last place and headed to Division II. The race is tight between three teams and who will be the second team to be demoted.
Execration and Motivate.Trust are both tied in their record and sit in 5th place. Neon is below them but still has a chance to be able to keep their place.
It will all depend on what happens with Execration when they face off against BOOM on January 19th at 09:00 CET and then what the result is from the series between Motivate.Trust and Neon on January 20th at 12 CET.
BOOM Esports
Motivate.Trust GamingNorth America
Arkosh Gaming is sitting in 7th place, but if they join Black N Yellow in Division II for next season will depend on how they do in their last series on January 19th at 21 CET against Undying.
Arkosh GamingSouth America
No Ping Esports is done with their season but they still have to watch their fate unfold with baited breathe from the sidelines as Hokori and Lava still need to play against each other on January 21st at 21 CET.
HokoriDPC 2021-2022
Division I
Those who start the new DPC year from Division I will be fighting for a spot at the first Major of the new competitive year, and a share of the 690 DPC points and $205,000. Only the top five teams from Division I will earn DPC points. The sixth-placed team will get to keep its spot in the league, while those finishing in the 7th/8th place will be relegated into Division II for the next Tour.
Division II
Division II has a total prize pool of $75,000 and no DPC points to offer, but those placing top two at the end of the Winter Tour will promote into Division I for the next Tour. The prize pool will be split between the top 6 teams, while the bottom two will be eliminated from the regional league and will have to go through open qualifiers for the next Tour.
Broadcasts
Western Europe:
Steam: twitch.tv/dreamleague
Eastern Europe
Stream: twitch.tv/epicenter
Southeast Asia
Stream: twitch.tv/beyondthesummit
North America
Stream: twitch.tv/esl_dota2
South America
Stream: twitch.tv/epulzegaming
China
Stream: twitch.tv/pwrdesports1
