Eighteen teams are set for the ESL One Berlin Major 2023 on Apr 26 – May 7. The second Major of the season will likely set the first TI participants and re-vamp our Power Rankings for the season.
On paper, it seems like most contestants from the Lima Major made it for their second major debut, while there are newcomers that deserve a mention too.
The ESL One Berlin Major 2023 follows a similar format as its predecessors, being a Valve-sponsored tournament. It features a group stage, where teams are distributed into two groups of nine teams each. Matches are best-of-two single round-robin. Top four teams advance to the upper bracket of Playoffs, while the fifth and sixth teams also get to play in the lower bracket. The remaining teams are eliminated at 13-18th places.
The Playoff is where the competition gets intense as matches are best-of-three double-elimination bracket, except the best-of-five grand finals. Despite securing top-twelve finish, teams have to secure at least an eighth-place finish to win DPC points and prize winnings. Ultimately, the objective of participating in the Majors is to secure a direct invite to the International 12 via DPC points.
The Eighteen Qualified Teams at ESL One Berlin Major 2023
Many former major participants emerged victorious in their respective regional Dota Pro Circuit 2023 (DPC 2023) leagues. For instance, Gaimin Gladiators, Team Liquid, and Tundra Esports hail from Western Europe, while their Eastern European counterparts, ex-HellRaisers, Team Spirit, and BetBoom Team made it too.
The Chinese region only has PSG.LGD and Team Aster as returning major candidates after Knights and EHOME got banned by Valve due to match-fixing allegations. Whereas the Southeast Asian teams include Talon Esports and Execration, the former being the runner-up of Lima Major.
North and South America have the same teams return for their second major, featuring TeamSoloMid, Shopify Rebellion, beastcoast, and Evil Geniuses.
Finally, the new faces of Berlin Major 2023 are Xtreme Gaming, Invictus Gaming, Team SMG, and Team OG.
Here’s the daily match schedule for the opening Groups.
Source: ESL
This DPC season is a testament to how team dynamics have shifted after the TI11 roster shuffle. While we do have many renowned teams that have accomplished feats in the past, such as TI Champions and runner-up.
The most recent fan favorite is Gaimin Gladiators, the winners of Lima Major 2023. Gaimin showcased their most recent recruit, Quinn “Quinn” Callahan when placed in the most ideal team. Considering how formidable Gaimin was, it’s safe to say that they will be striving for the Berlin Major too.
If there’s one rival that can give Gaimin a run for its money, it’s Team Liquid. They are second only to Gaimin at the Lima Major but managed to defeat the latter in the recent Division 1 bracket, which speaks volumes about how close both teams are on paper. After all, this WEU stack is packed with high-profile players, notably Michał “Nisha” Jankowski and Ludwig “zai” Wåhlberg.
If there’s one lesson in the Dota 2 Esports book, it’s to never underestimate the underdogs. Xtreme Gaming, IG, and Team SMG are no strangers in competitive Dota 2, so they could have some tricks up their sleeves going into the ESL One Berlin Major.
If anything, these teams are staples in Division 1 and finally have the opportunity to perform on the grand stage.
And of course, Team OG is the most anticipated team to make it into Berlin Major. Although their performance in WEU Division 1 speaks otherwise, it’s as good as it gets for a fourth-qualified team since the monster trio of WEU is impeccable.
The Berlin Major 2023 is particularly important as we head into the second half of DPC 2023. We expect multiple confirmed TI12 direct invites too, especially for Gaimin Gladiator, Team Liquid, or even Talon Esports if they continue being top candidates at Berlin Major 2023.
EN Global 
JP 日本語
BR Português