DPC 2021 Season 1 expectations and a look at the regional favorites

The Dota Pro Circuit 2021 season and regional leagues are starting next week. Sixteen qualified teams in every region have already been decided, and over the next six weeks they , it will be a hectic schedule for them to compete with only one goal in mind. Tickets to the first Dota 2 major, and of course, the generous prize pool for two months’ worth of effort.

Plenty of known and unknown teams have qualified for the revamped DPC 2021 season. In order to ease your into what is going down and make your first dota bet count, we are breaking down the entire DPC 2021 lineup region by region.

© Dota Pro Circuit

All eyes on Europe

Europe is by far the most competitive region in Dota 2. Multiple, TI champions throughout its decade-long history have come from Europe. Team OG, Nigma (formerly Team Liquid), and Alliance are just some of the Europe Upper Division teams.

We also shouldn’t forget Clement “Puppey” Ivanov, the captain of the first TI champion team, Natus Vincere, currently leading Europe’s strongest team, Team Secret. Filling the empty slots are Team Liquid, Vikin.gg, mudgolems, and Chicken Fighters.

While we’ve seen much of mudgolems and the Vikinggs in the latter part of last year, Chicken Fighters are a brand new squad. The roster is consists of three former NiP players (CharlieDota, Supream, Era) and two former 5men players in Chessie and Xibbe.

In the Lower Division, fans can expect decent matches from notable squads, such as Hellbear Smashers, Spider Pigzs, Brame, and Creepwave. There are also Hippomaniacs, burjui, Meta4Pro, and No Bounty Hunter.

While some of the Lower Division teams might seem unfamiliar, we still have quality talent from more established rosters in there. Spider Pigzs is the former Tempo Esports roster renamed, while Hellbear Smashers is the remainders of 5men that didn’t get to join Chicken Fighters.

Maybe the most interesting underdog in this division is Burjui a mix of five different players with different nationalities that almost never played together before this event.

China’s powerhouse stack

PSG.LGD, EHOME, Vici Gaming, the prodigies team Elephant making waves since last year after the great Chinese Roster Shuffle, this region is going to be an absolute blast to watch. On top of the invite list, Team Aster, Invictus Gaming, Team MagMa, and LBZS made up the rest of the slots for China’s Upper Division.

If the Upper Division is simply not enough, prominent powerhouse orgs like Royal Never Give Up, CDEC Gaming, Sparking Arrow Gaming, and Phoenix Gaming are headlining the Lower Divsion. Joining them are Xtreme Gaming, Dynasty, Dalanjing Gaming, and Dragon.

Based on what we’ve seen at the China Dota2 Pro Cup Season 2 and Huya Dota2 Winter Invitational recently, China is set to bring some serious firepower at the Majors this season.

As for picks to bet on, Elephant and RNG are your individual favorites in both divisions.

Reclaiming CIS pride in DPC Season 1

After a year of sharing the same battlefield with their European brethren, the CIS squads are finally having their own regional.

Making up the exciting list in CIS Upper Division are Virtus.pro, Natus Vincere, Team Spirit, and Live to Win. If anything, their European rivals are surely counting their lucky stars for not having to come face-to-face with Virtus.pro. Topping off the other half are Team Empire, EXTREMUM, NoPangolier, and NoTechies.

Moving on to the Lower Division, we have Danil “Dendi” Ishutin’s very own team, B8, which was just a game short of making it into the Upper Division. Alongside are renowned CIS orgs such as Winstrike Team, Gambit Esports, and HellRaisers. Others include PuckChamp, Imperial Pro Gaming, TBA, and TBA.

Rough seas ahead for SEA teams

While the SE Asia region is a vast land for youthful talents and veterans, familiar teams such as TNC Predator, Fnatic, T1, and BOOM Esports are headlining the lineup. Neon Esports, 496 Gaming, Execration, and Vice Esports has been making a name for themselves in past events and are seeking to challenge the status quo.

The Lower Division also houses several reputable pro players, kickstarting their TI journey. Galaxy Racer, Cignal Ultra, Omega Esports, HOYO, ZeroTwo, Assault, Lilgun, and Yangon Galacticos are the qualified few for the SEA Lower Division.

Many of the names in the Lower Division rosters are former players from the Upper Division teams. In a sense, the SEA region will be a battle between new powerhouses challenging the old and even newer teams seeking to challenge each other and a shot at taking down established orgs in Season 2.

When it comes to Dota 2 betting, this region will likely have the wildest odds and margins out of the entire DPC circuit. Tipsters who really know their meta should look here for the best returns.

Americas divided

The North and South American teams finally get their own DPC circuits after largely having to fight each other last season. A troubled NA Esports scene and NA Dota 2 scene specifically, have left much to desire in 2021.

The star of the show in North America is Evil Geniuses with their multinational line-up. However, let’s hope that the other royal NA squads can put up a fight against NA’s only powerhouse team. Challengers include Quincy Crew, 4 Zoomers, Sadboys, Black N Yellow, Undying, 5ManMidas, and Team Dog Champ. The NA Lower Division features Arkosh Gaming, Byzantine Raiders, Its Okay, Freedom, The Cut, Electronic Boys, bros, and Aristotle.

South American teams can also rejoice with the fact that they are getting a full-course regional league. The SA Upper Division is packed with esteemed teams, SG e-sports, Thunder Predator, beastcoast, Infamous, Omega Gaming, Team Unknown, EgoBoys, and Latam Defenders.

The Lower Division will serve as nesting grounds for amateur teams to shine and polish their craft for the upcoming season. Teams include Incubus Club, Infinity Esports, Hokori, Gorillaz-Pride, blood for blood, Crewmates, 0-900, and Inverse.

Many of the teams in both regions are considered amateur at best, especially in the Lower Divisions. In the upper echelons, EG and QC will battle for supremacy in the US while Thunder Predator and beastcoast are the likely favorites in the South.

We wish all the teams the best of luck as they play in their respective regional for the first season of the DPC 2021. Our week by week predictions and betting guide are coming shortly.

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