The final weeks of the Dota 2 Pro Circuit are upon us. The Circuit swings through the Southeast Asia region one last time for GESC: Thailand from May 9th-12th.
GESC: Thailand is the nineteenth event in the first season of the Dota 2 Pro Circuit (DPC) and the last Minor. Eight teams will compete in Bangkok, Thailand for the (US)$300,000 prize pool and 300 DPC qualifying points. While the points from this tournament won’t be enough to impact the DPC standings significantly, GESC: Thailand could help a team build momentum heading into the final three Majors of the season.
Three of the eight teams at the Thai event have DPC points already. Team Secret sits, very securely, in third place, while Evil Geniuses is 600 points out of eighth place. Finishing first at GESC: Thailand will grant a team 450 points, so not quite enough to move Evil Geniuses into the top eight in the rankings. Remember that the top eight will receive direct invitations to The International 8. Currently, Fnatic is in eleventh and needs nearly 1000 points to earn one of those coveted spots.
Of the other five teams at the event, The Final Tribe and VGJ.Storm are qualified for one and two of the remaining Majors respectively, while the other three teams, Keen Gaming, SG e-sports and Alpha Red, will not be appearing at any more DPC tournaments. However, VGJ.Storm’s recent addition of Roman "Resolut1on" Fominok, formerly of OG, disqualifies them from a direct invitation to TI8. The Final Tribe’s only previous appearance at a DPC event was GESC: Indonesia, where they played 5-6th. Alpha Red qualified for GESC: Thailand through the local qualifier for Thai teams only, and while expectations for the team are low, it’s exciting to see the local competitive region supported in this way by a DPC minor.
GESC: Thailand was scheduled to have nine teams up until Monday, May 7th when Vega Squadron announced they were withdrawing due to passport issues.
This tournament will be the last one in the Southeast Asia region this season. There’s been two previous DPC events in SEA: ESL One Genting and GESC: Indonesia. Both were quite successful and afterward, the passion and enthusiasm of SEA fans were commented on by the Dota 2 talent. Two other GESC events that were planned for Singapore and Malaysia were canceled this season, and Galaxy Battles II: Emerging Worlds, held the Philippines, had its status revoked because of Valve’s concerns about new government regulations.
GESC: Thailand puts the Dota 2 community’s spotlight on Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. With a history spanning back to at least the 15th century, Bangkok’s identity as a city lies in the vibrant mix of old and new: ancient temples alongside modern high-rises. The city provides a unique canvas for GESC’s tournament. Now, eight Dota 2 teams hope to make their own mark on Bangkok’s history by being the first team to win a Dota 2 MInor in the city.
Check back daily for our recaps of all the action at GESC: Thailand.
