ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 begins in a few days, so let’s learn more about some of the big names that will stand out.
Every Dota 2 fan is eager to watch the best teams in the world in Malaysia’s capital a few days from now. As mentioned, ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 begins in a couple of days, and we will have the opportunity to see the best in action. Speaking of the best, some names at this tournament are a lot more impressive than others, meaning Dota 2 fans will expect them to dominate. With that said, let’s learn more information about those squads.
ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 Favorites
Our list of favorites for this tournament consists of Dota 2 teams that have performed exceptionally well. We’ve used our experience and in-depth knowledge of the game to analyze each squad’s potential, so let’s go through each of the big names.
Gaimin Gladiators
It’s no surprise that Gaimin Gladiators, the Western European powerhouse, is among the biggest ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 favorites. Despite not winning The International 12, Quinn and the rest reached the final of the tournament. Moreover, they have won countless events in 2023, so we expect them to continue to dominate.
An interesting fact to remember is that the current Dota 2 Patch 7.34e is not that different from the previous one. Since the meta is relatively the same, the teams that performed well on it should be able to repeat their performance. That’s why we expect GG to have little to no effort and secure a top 3 finish.
It’s worth knowing that Gaimin Gladiators is one of the teams that received a direct invitation. Moreover, the team is in Group A, which does not seem as dangerous as Group B. This increases its chances of succeeding.
Team Liquid
Even though Team Liquid was not one of the teams that received a direct invitation, it is definitely one of the ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 favorites. The team’s performance at TI12 was not bad, even though it did not reach its ultimate goal. In case you have forgotten, Liquid was also one of the best Dota 2 teams in the DPC and reached the Grand Final of almost every tournament.
The only bad news for Team Liquid is that the squad had to swap Ludwig “zai” Wåhlberg for Jonáš “SabeRLight-” Volek. Zai decided to step down after TI12, which is definitely a huge blow because he was one of Team Liquid’s best players.
This will be the first big tournament for the new roster, so people will be eager to see how it will perform. Having said that, Team Liquid continues to have one of the best teams in the world, so it definitely has what it takes to win the ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023.
BetBoom Team
Since Team Spirit decided to withdraw from the tournament, BetBoom Team is the best squad from Eastern Europe that will take part in it. Despite the fact that we haven’t seen the club win any big tournament recently, BetBoom Team has proven it can bring down anyone. That’s the reason why it is among the big ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 favorites.
BB Team did not make any roster changes for the new season. This is a good thing because the players have been together for some time now. They are used to playing with each other, so we expect them to perform even better in 2024.
BetBoom is in Group A, and the most exciting thing is that the squad’s first game will be against Gaimin Gladiators. This will be among the most intriguing and important clashes of the event because it will determine which team will finish first.
Invictus Gaming
A lot of you are probably wondering why Invictus Gaming is on the list of ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 favorites. The answer is simple – the roster has gone through a complete roster change and looks more deadly than ever before.
The current squad has some of the best players in China and SEA. It offers a mixture of talent and experience, so it was no surprise that iG won the Chinese qualifiers to get here.
We believe that Invictus Gaming is the best team in China right now. Nevertheless, Monet and the rest need to prove that, which is why ESL Kuala Lumpur 2023 is the perfect tournament for them. The only bad news is that iG is in Group B, where the squad has to play against a lot of big names.
LGD Gaming
When talking about ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 favorites and Chinese Dota 2 teams, we need to mention LGD Gaming. Azure Ray could’ve also been on the list, but the organization’s decision to switch some of its best players was questionable, to say the least. Therefore, LGD Gaming is the second team from the region that we think will be the favorite.
When talking about roster changes, LGD Gaming also made a few important ones. Despite the fact that Planet left the team, LGD added the likes of Emo and Pyw to its roster, which looks even more deadly.
One of the clashes that we can’t want to see will be between iG and LGD Gaming. Both are among the best teams in China and have what it takes to win the tournament.
Honorable Mentions
In addition to the big favorites mentioned earlier, a few other teams may have the chance to win. Team Secret, for example, has a pretty interesting roster that we have yet to see on the big stage. The same applies to Team Falcons, oen of the new names in the Dota 2 world. It will be exciting to see what’s going to happen, so stay tuned for more information.