In a milestone celebration of 25 years of Pinnacle Sports, the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary was unveiled as an online European tournament at the start of November 2023. This Dota 2 event is being organized by Eden Esports and it kicked off on 20th November and is scheduled to conclude on 6th December 2023.
Additionally, this Tier 2 Dota 2 event boasts a prize pool of $100,000 USD and promises to showcase a captivating display of competitive gaming.
A total of 20 teams from across different regions were invited and they have been split into four groups of five teams each. With the event featuring a group stage and a playoff stage, the group stage action began on 20th November.
With the tournament gaining momentum in the Dota 2 community, fans are closely following noteworthy participants and iconic figures. Some of the top players to look out for at the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show Dota 2 event have been listed in this article.
Top Dota 2 Pros to Look Out for in the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show Dota 2 Event
A lot of big-name stars were spotted in the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show. Some of them are as follows:
Dendi - B8 Esports
Danil "Dendi" Ishutin, the legendary player associated with B8 Esports, is set to make his mark. Renowned for securing victory in the first International and acclaimed for his unparalleled mastery over Pudge, Dendi and his team have embarked on this tournament journey following their attempt at the ESL One Open Qualifiers, where the team fell short of advancing past the initial stages. At the time of writing this article on 21st November, B8 is playing against Team Tickles in a best-of-three (BO3) series.
ATF - Team Falcon
Joining the fray is Ammar "ATF" Al-Assaf from Team Falcon, a young Jordanian player whose unorthodox strategies and audacious gameplay have sparked controversy. Having gained recognition during his tenure with OG, ATF's unconventional build for Timbersaw, opting for a Manta Style on the hero, became a talking point. His audacious act of dropping the Mantle of Intelligence in front of the enemy fountain while seizing its base further solidified his notoriety.
Skiter - Team Falcon
Team Falcon, the recently formed squad, will also witness the participation of Oliver "skiter" Lepko, the International 2021 victor. Renowned for his aggressive carry style, skiter has etched his name in Dota 2 history with a triumph at TI 11. The newly assembled Team Falcon, boasting promising prospects and notable names, is poised to make a significant impact on the tournament. Notably, Falcons’ first match of this tournament is scheduled for 22nd November.
MinD_ContRoL - The dudley boyz
Ivan "MinD_ContRoL" Ivanov, a crowd favorite and Nigma Galaxy star offlaner, will be joining the competition with a random stack created specifically for this tournament.
As a TI winner with Team Liquid in 2017, MinD_ContRoL, accompanied by Nigma Galaxy carry player Yuma "Yuma" Langlet, presents an intriguing narrative as they navigate the challenges posed by established TI-qualified teams such as Virtus.pro, Keyd Stars, and the recently formed roster of BOOM Esports composed of TI-qualified players. MinD_ContRoL won 2-0 against Klim Sani4 and his next match will be on 23rd November against Keyd Stars.
s4 - Alliance
Adding to the allure of the event is the presence of Gustav "s4" Magnusson, a Dota OG and winner of The International 2013. Representing Alliance, s4 seeks to recreate past glory, having last clinched a tournament victory with the team in 2016. As they set their sights on the Pinnacle Cup, it remains to be seen whether s4 and Alliance can carve a new chapter in their storied history. Alliance won 2-0 against Nemiga Gaming and is now set to battle it out with Klim Sani4 later today.
Topson - Alliance Standin
Topias "Topson'' Taavitsainen, the two-time The International (TI) winner, is currently playing as a stand-in for Alliance Ng "ChYuaN" Kee Chyuan in the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show.
Topson is known for his unconventional playstyle and builds and it is always a delight to watch the Finnish mid laner in action. Talking about the Dota 2 Tier 1 pro scene, Topson currently sits alone on the Tundra roster.
The Group Stage of the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show will take place till 29th November. Following this, the Playoffs will kick off on 1st December and conclude on 6th December with the grand finale.
The format of this Tier 2 Dota 2 tournament is as follows:
Group Stage
Four single round-robin groups of five teams each
All matches are BO3
The top two teams from each group advance to the upper bracket of playoffs
The third-place team from each group advances to the lower bracket of playoffs
All remaining teams are eliminated
Playoffs
Double-elimination bracket
All matches except the grand final are BO3
The grand final is BO5
The twenty invited teams for the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show are:
If you are looking for more Dota 2 esports action, you will be glad to know that the ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 main event kicks off on 11th December. With a total prize pool of $1,000,000 USD on the line, twelve elite Dota 2 teams from around the world will assemble in Malaysia, marking the start of the event. These squads will vie for one of the eight available spots in the playoffs, which will be held live at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) from 15th to 17th December.