Dota 2 legend claims China can’t keep up with global competition anymore

Maybe Dota 2 mobile can save the region.

Image via Valve

Former PSG.LGD Dota 2 star Wang “Ame” Chunyu has expressed his doubts about the ability of Chinese teams to win Major tournaments in a recent Twitch stream.

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As Dota 2 has a few high-prize pool events lined up for the rest of 2023, Ame has been receiving questions about whether he’d return to play.

The carry player’s reply to the question was a resounding no, and if he were to return to the competitive Dota scene, he didn’t think there was a Chinese team that could win an international tournament right now.

The Chinese Dota 2 teams performed below expectations at the Lima Major, and two of the participating teams from the region were accused of match-fixing at the event. These concerns turned out to be justified, with Valve banning over 40 players while kicking five teams who were involved in the controversy.

The situation was a massive blow to the Chinese Dota 2 scene’s reputation, but teams that remain in the DPC are after redemption. The latest iteration of LGD already guaranteed their spot at the Berlin Major after not dropping a single map in five series.

Though there are still teams and players performing to the best of their abilities to bring glory to their home region, one shouldn’t also forget about the disheartening conditions that they’re competing in. Dota 2’s Major tournaments have adopted a very predatory prize pool distribution over the last two years, meaning teams that don’t secure a top-four finish receive close to nothing or even laughable amounts.

This resulted in many stars preferring to become full-time streamers over pro Dota 2 players since it’s been the more lucrative route in China at the moment.

Author
Image of Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan is a Staff Writer and Fortnite Lead at Dot Esports. Gökhan graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since been with Dot Esports. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming, while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.