Interview with Tundra Esports’ carry Skiter, where we spoke about their season and Dota 2 patch 7.33.
In the professional world of Dota 2, winning The International is always the ultimate goal. In 2022, Tundra Esports crushed the competition to pick up the Aegis at TI11. Although the year following their TI win hasn’t been as dominating as one would expect, Tundra have picked up the pace in recent months, winning the Summer Tour of the Western European DPC League with a 7-0 scoreline. As they head to the Bali Major, GosuGamers caught up with their carry, Oliver “Skiter” Lepko, to talk about their season and Dota 2 patch 7.33, amongst other things.
Hello Skiter! How are you doing? Are you bootcamping before the Bali Major?
Hello! I am doing great. We just arrived in Bali [26th June] and are pumped to perform here. The team didn’t bootcamp before Bali.
Congratulations on getting first place in the WEU DPC League in the Summer Tour. That secured your place at TI12. Is there a bit less pressure going into the final DPC Major of the season knowing you’ve qualified for The International?
Thanks. It definitely takes the pressure off. For every professional Dota 2 player, getting to The International is a big deal and I am happy we managed to qualify for the second year in a row.
How would you say your season has been till now? Has it been slightly difficult to live up to expectations as the defending TI champions?
The season has been pretty low in terms of performances for us. We are yet to show our true form. I like to look at us as more of an underdog since it helps me drop all the expectations and have more room to focus on performing and getting ready for the big tournaments. This year, those would be the Riyadh Masters and The International 2023.
How has the WEU region been different this year as compared to the last year (for the DPC Leagues)?
The 2023 DPC season has been more competitive than the last one. Gaimin Gladiators and Team Liquid specifically look very sharp. Quest have cemented their Division 1 position, and it's refreshing to see new faces.
Gaimin Gladiators really stepped up the competition this season. Did you expect them to rise to the top in the region? Do you think Quinn is the main factor that has been the catalyst for their rise to the top?
I have a lot of respect for Gaimin Gladiators. They have managed to win four tier 1 tournaments in a short span of time. Quinn “Quinn” Callahan is a very dedicated and hardworking person. I think something clicked with the addition of Quinn to the roster and they have been in the honeymoon phase ever since the change. THEY NEED TO BE STOPPED!!!
In the last couple of years, WEU has dominated Dota 2 quite a bit. Why do you think the region has the edge over others?
The Western European region has a lot of Dota 2 history. It also has the highest number of players and the quality of practice (both scrims and pubs) is the best amongst all regions, so naturally you will also have the greatest teams hailing from this region.
How do you like the current DPC system? What changes would you like to see?
I would make the DPC Leagues a lot shorter and give DPC Majors a bigger prize pool. Also, I think the Leagues provide too many DPC points as compared to the Majors.
Dota 2 patch 7.33 was released for a few weeks. Do you like the patch? What is your favorite and least favorite change from the patch?
Patch 7.33 has been a breath of fresh air. Initially it felt like too much has been added at one time, but I’ve already gotten quite used to it. I still feel like the Universal attribute doesn’t bring anything good to the game. The concept itself feels very bad in the sense it will either be broken or just bad. It feels like lazy balancing, since you can just move unpicked heroes to this attribute, and eventually they will become meta.
How does the carry role feel right now? Is the laning stage a lot more dynamic due to the addition of the Twin Gates?
I have come to love the Twin Gates. It gives you many more options in the laning stage than before and teleport rotations less committal. It makes laning less braindead as compared to how it used to be. Snowballing your lane to the other side of the map and quickly making your way back is very nice option to have.
How popular is Dota 2 in Slovakia? Do you get recognized on the streets back home as a TI winner?
I don't think it is as popular as a game like CS:GO. I did make it to Forbes twice and have been recognized maybe a couple of times, but nothing too crazy.
What do you love doing when you aren’t playing Dota 2?
Nowadays, if I am not playing Dota 2, I am either watching some show or anime, working out or spending time with my girlfriend. Not a lot other than that.
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us! Any shoutouts?
Shoutout to Tundra Esports, our amazing sponsors and all the fans cheering for us. I appreciate each one of you. Keep supporting us, it helps a lot.
