Let’s check which were the best players at The International 12. Learn more about the names that stood out.
The International 12 is over, and Team Spirit lifted the Aegis for the second time following its success from a few years ago. Even though TI12’s prize pool was less than 10% of TI10’s, the fact that the squad won the most important Dota 2 event for the second time in a row means that each player is now a living Dota 2 legend.
Speaking of players, TI12 allowed us to watch the best ones in action. Some performed much better than expected, whereas others did not live up to the expectations. However, this article will focus on those that were impressive, so let’s dive in.
Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk
Although a lot of people may disagree, a lot of Dota 2 expects to think that Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk was the best Dota 2 player at The International 12. Some even claim that he is the game’s best carry player ever, which probably doesn’t come as a surprise, considering his performance.
Yatoro dominated in every single game he was a part of. We had the chance to see him using loads of different heroes throughout the event, but he focused on Chaos Knight and Morphling. We also had the chance to watch his Terrorblade, as well as many other heroes.
Yatoro is one of those carriers that can adapt to any situation. He is incredibly strong in every meta and has proven to be one of the best players at The International 12.
Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov
Offlaners are probably in the most underrated position in Dota 2. Those players are incredibly important for their team’s success, yet they do not get enough attention and recognition for the things they do.
TI12 allowed us to watch all world-class offlaners, but when one of them was on another level, and his name was Collapse. He became one of the best players at The International 12 because he was one of the main reasons Team Spirit was so successful. His initiations and effectiveness in team fights enabled cores like Yatoro and Larl to rip through their opponents.
Like Yatoro, Collapse used a wide range of heroes throughout the tournament. He always surprised his opponents, which is why it is safe to say he was among the best players at TI12 and the best offlaner.
Quinn “Quinn” Callahan
The North American Dota 2 region hasn’t had much success lately, which also reflects on the players that come from there. However, there is one exception that has been ripping through his enemies in 2023, and his name is Quinn. The 24-year-old American player has been one of the best in the world for some time now, and he did not let us down at The International 12. Even though Gaimin Gladiators lost the Grand Final, everyone can agree that Quinn is among the best players at The International 12.
As expected, the young talent of GG used a wide range of heroes throughout the tournament. However, most people know him for his incredible Pangolier, a hero that he mastered in 2023. We had the chance to see him a couple of times, but Quinn also shined with a lot of other heroes, including Queen of Pain. He got the chance to use the deadly midder in the series against LGD Gaming in the Lower Bracket and absolutely destroyed his opponents.
Lu “Somnus” Yao
Azure Ray was among the more interesting Dota 2 teams at The International 12. The Chinese squad formed a couple of months ago, but it consists of some of the most experienced players in the region. One of them is Somnus, one of China’s legendary midlaners and definitely among the best players at The International 12.
Somnus helped his team in every single clash, which allowed Azure Ray to finish 4th after losing to Gaimin Gladiators. He was the star of the show in several series, especially when he got the chance to use his Kunkka. The Chinese powerhouse has proven he is one of the best Kunkka players in the world and used the hero to dominate at TI12.
Azure Ray will be one of the most interesting Dota 2 teams to follow in 2024 because there were rumors that Ame could make a comeback to Dota 2. The latter is one of the world’s best carry players and a living legend in China. Considering he played alongside Somnus, fy, and a few other Azure Ray team members, we wouldn’t be surprised if he decided to join the Chinese powerhouse.
Guo “shiro” Xuanang
Speaking of carries and the best players at The International 12, we must share a few words about shiro. LGD’s Position 1 continues to impress us with his performance because he was the reason LGD finished 3rd at TI 12.
Shiro is one of China’s new superstars because he is just 22 years old. Despite not having as much experience as other top-tier carries, shiro impressed everyone with his performance. He saw him playing a lot of Spectre, as well as Chaos Knight, Luna, Naga Siren, and more. It is safe to say that one of the best players at The International 12 has a bright future ahead of him.