Title image courtesy of EPICENTER
RNG has clinched their spot at TI9 after a full five-game grand finals in the Chinese TI9 qualifiers.
RNG had found a way into four sets of DPC events this season. The Chinese team maintained a constant presence in the scene but were not able to make it translate into enough points for a TI9 invite.
Their season ended with an invite to the closed qualifiers, which they made good on with a second place seeding in the group stage and playoff spot.
A bumpy start in the playoffs looked to officially end their season, sending them to the lower brackets after a 2:0 sweep by CDEC. Picking themselves up, they then stormed through the lower brackets for a rematch against CDEC in the grand finals.
RNG was put to the test in a five-game series, culminating into a nail-biting and gut-wrenching last game victory for them.
Multiple roster changes never stopped RNG from finding their place in DPC events, but never seemed to be just the right mix for them either. Their last change in lineup took place in mid-April and the team went on to take disappointing finishes in both Dota Pit Minor and EPICENTER Major. However, in the time since it looks like RNG were able to find that synergy and the strategies they needed.
RNG roster:
Du "Monet" Peng
Gao "Setsu" Zhenxiong
Su "Flyby" Lei
Zhang "LaNm" Zhicheng
Tue "ah fu" Soon Chuan
The International 9
Valve will bring the biggest Dota 2 event of the year to the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai, China —home of infamous Shanghai Major of 2016. The venue is an indoor arena located on the former grounds of Expo 2010 in Pudong, Shanghai, China, with a seating capacity for 18,000 people. Thus far, 16 teams are confirmed to attend - Team Secret, Virtus Pro, Evil Geniuses, ViCi Gaming, Fnatic, PSG.LGD, Team Liquid, NiP, OG, Keen Gaming, TNC Predator, Alliance, Mineski, Na'Vi, Infamous and now RNG. The prize pool has exceeded $25 million and that of TI8 (more than $23 million added by crowdfunding) and is now over $28 million with one month still to go until the big event.
