Cover-Credits:
- The 2021 DPC Season 1: Upper Division has concluded in the regions of EU, SEA, NA, CIS and NA.
- Tiebreakers were held in most of these regions on February 27-28 for Major as well as Upper Division slots. The biggest highlight was OG failing to secure a Major slot.
- Here is a look at the results of the tiebreakers and the teams which have made it to the Major from EU, SEA, NA, CIS and SA.
The 2021 DPC Season 1: Upper Division had an exciting round of tiebreakers on February 27-28, 2021 as teams battled it out to either grab those remaining ONE Esports Dota 2 Singapore Major slots or avoid relegation. These tiebreakers have culminated the 2021 DPC Season 1 as we finally have the list of teams going to the Major from the regions of EU, SEA, CIS, NA and SA. While these matches’ results were rather expected, the biggest highlight was two-time TI champions, OG, failing to secure a Major spot. Here is a look at what exactly panned out and how various Dota 2 professionals reacted to these results.
RELATED: 2021 DPC S1 Upper Division Tiebreakers: EU, NA, SEA, CIS and SA Full Details
EU DPC S1 Tiebreaker: Team Liquid qualifies, OG and Tundra Esports to miss Singapore Major
The EU DPC tiebreaker proved to be the most thrilling one as it required two rounds to determine the final winner.
In the first round,
- Team Liquid beat OG
- OG beat Tundra
- Tundra beat OG
In the second round,
- Team Liquid beat OG
- OG beat Tundra
- Liquid beat Tundra
Since Liquid beat both OG and Tundra in the second round, they secured themselves a spot in the Major. OG finished fourth while Tundra ended in the fifth spot.
Fans can watch the full highlights of the tiebreakers HERE.
Prize Pool:
| Place | Team Name | Prize(USD) | DPC Points | DPC Placement |
| 1. | Team Secret | $30,000 | 500 | Major Playoffs |
| 2. | Alliance | $28,000 | 300 | Major Group Stage |
| 3. | Team Nigma | $27,000 | 200 | Major Wild Card |
| 4. | Team Liquid | $26,000 | 100 | Major Wild Card |
| 5. | OG | $25,000 | 50 | --- |
| 6. | Tundra Esports | $24,000 | --- | --- |
| 7. | Vikin.gg | $23,000 | --- | Relegated |
| 8. | High Coast Esports | $22,000 | --- | Relegated |
Analyst of Team Liquid, Mathis "Jabbz" Friesel, also posted a video of the team’s captain, iNSaNiA, celebrating the win.
In OG’s case, both Ceb and N0tail expressed their displeasure with failing to qualify for the Major.
SEA DPC S1 Tiebreaker: Neon Esports beats T1 to take Major group stage spot
While both Neon Esports and T1 had already qualified for the Major, the SEA 2021 DPC Season 1: Upper Division would determine who finishes second and takes the Major group stage spot. In the BO3 series, though T1 was able to close out a very competitive first game in their favor, Neon reverse swept them as they won the next two games and won the series 2-1.
Neon will now move on to the Major group stage while T1 goes to the Major wild card as they finished third.
RELATED: Neon Esports vs T1 Tiebreaker: Results, Highlights and Interview
Fans can watch the full highlights of the tiebreaker HERE.
Prize Pool:
| Place | Team Name | Prize(USD) | DPC Points | DPC Placement |
| 1. | Fnatic | $30,000 | 500 | Major Playoffs |
| 2. | Neon Esports | $28,000 | 300 | Major Group Stage |
| 3. | T1 | $27,000 | 200 | Major Wild Card |
| 4. | TNC Predator | $26,000 | 100 | --- |
| 5. | BOOM Esports | $25,000 | 50 | --- |
| 6. | Execration | $24,000 | --- | --- |
| 7. | Vice Esports | $23,000 | --- | Relegated |
| 8. | 496 Gaming | $22,000 | --- | Relegated |
Neon Esports went out to feast to celebrate their win over T1.
NA DPC S1 Tiebreaker: Evil Geniuses and Quincy Crew prevail, Undying falters
Evil Geniuses, Quincy Crew, and Undying faced each other in a BO1 tiebreaker to determine the two teams that qualify for the Singapore Major from NA. Evil Geniuses reigned supreme as they defeated both teams.
In the first and final round,
- Evil Geniuses beat Undying
- Evil Geniuses beat Quincy Crew
- Quincy Crew beat Undying
While Evil Geniuses advance to the Major playoffs as they finish first, Quincy Crew moves to the Major group stage as they end in the second spot. Undying will, unfortunately, be missing the first Major of the season.
Fans can watch the full highlights of the tiebreaker HERE.
Arteezy expressed his happiness with the first-place finish, stating that his team had improved over the course of the DPC’s first season.
Sadboys avoid relegation as they defeat Black N Yellow and A-Team
Ppd’s Sadboys did not have a successful run in the 2021 DPC Season 1 as they were almost on the verge of elimination. They faced Black N Yellow and A-Team in a BO1 tiebreaker to determine the team that finishes seventh and moves to the Lower Division in the next season.
In the first and final round,
- Black N Yellow beat A-Team
- Sadboys beat Black N Yellow
- Sadboys beat A-Team
Sadboys finish fifth while Black N Yellow end in the sixth spot. A-Team will, unfortunately, be playing in the Lower Division in the next DPC season.
Fans can watch the full highlights of the tiebreaker HERE.
Ppd stated in a Twitter post that the fifth-place finish was disappointing, but they will now aim for the second Major. He also congratulated EG and Quincy Crew for reaching the Major from NA.
Prize Pool:
| Place | Team Name | Prize(USD) | DPC Points | DPC Placement |
| 1. | Evil Geniuses | $30,000 | 500 | Major Playoffs |
| 2. | Quincy Crew | $28,000 | 300 | Major Group Stage |
| 3. | Undying | $27,000 | 200 | --- |
| 4. | 4 Zoomers | $26,000 | 100 | --- |
| 5. | Sadboys | $25,000 | 50 | --- |
| 6. | A-Team | $24,000 | --- | --- |
| 7. | Black N Yellow | $23,000 | --- | Relegated |
| 8. | 5ManMidas | $22,000 | --- | Relegated |
CIS DPC S1 Tiebreaker: AS Monaco Gambit qualify for Major, Team Spirit denied
AS Monaco Gambit and Team Spirit faced each other in a BO3 series to determine the third and final team from CIS that goes to the Singapore Major. AS Monaco Gambit was the superior team on the day as they defeated Spirit 2-1 to win the series, securing themselves the Major wild card slot.
Fans can watch the full highlights of the tiebreaker HERE.
Gambit’s stand-in midlaner, No[o]ne, in an interview with Maincast Studio, stated that if he joined the team earlier, they would have outranked Natus Vincere and finished in the second spot.
Team Unique sends Team Empire to Lower Division
Team Empire faced Team Empire in a BO3 series to determine the team that finishes in the seventh spot and gets relegated to the Lower Division. Unique was able to secure a 2-1 victory in the series and hence, will continue to stay in the Upper Division. Empire will, unfortunately, be playing in the CIS DPC Lower Division in season 2.
Prize Pool:
| Place | Team Name | Prize(USD) | DPC Points | DPC Placement |
| 1. | Virtus.pro | $30,000 | 500 | Major Playoffs |
| 2. | Natus Vincere | $28,000 | 300 | Major Group Stage |
| 3. | AS Monaco Gambit | $27,000 | 200 | Major Wild Card |
| 4. | Team Spirit | $26,000 | 100 | --- |
| 5. | EXTREMUM | $25,000 | 50 | --- |
| 6. | Team Unique | $24,000 | --- | --- |
| 7. | Team Empire | $23,000 | --- | Relegated |
| 8. | NoTechies | $22,000 | --- | Relegated |
Fans can watch the full highlights of the tiebreaker HERE.
SA 2021 DPC S1 Upper Division Prize Pool
No tiebreakers were held in SA 2021 DPC S1 Upper Division. The final prize pool distribution is:
| Place | Team Name | Prize(USD) | DPC Points | DPC Placement |
| 1. | beastcoast | $30,000 | 500 | Major Playoffs |
| 2. | Thunder Predator | $28,000 | 300 | Major Group Stage |
| 3. | SG e-sports | $27,000 | 200 | --- |
| 4. | NoPing e-sports | $26,000 | 100 | --- |
| 5. | Team Unknown | $25,000 | 50 | --- |
| 6. | Infamous | $24,000 | --- | --- |
| 7. | EgoBoys | $23,000 | --- | Relegated |
| 8. | Latam Defenders | $22,000 | --- | Relegated |
