Arcanys vs. Mineski: Are You Ready for This?
The Esports Festival (ESF) 2015 in Cebu is this year’s battle arena for the ESF Dota 2 National Championship. A prize pool of P100,000 is at stake and only one team will be crowned victor. Only one team will be worthy of being called the best Dota 2 team in the country.
Competing for the country’s best Dota 2 team are Cebu’s pride Arcanys Gaming (Arcanys) and Manila-based team Mineski.Dota2 (Mineski). Both teams have proven themselves from time to time worthy of being called the country’s best. Mineski is one of the veteran teams with a powerhouse roster of experienced players while Arcanys is on its way to the international scene.
There is a lot at stake for both teams in winning the National Championship especially with the conclusion of The International 5 (TI). This means that it is time, once again, for teams to stand out in the competitive scene. Their performance will greatly affect their chance to make it to the biggest Dota 2 tournament and winning the ESF Dota 2 National Championship might just be the perfect boost to start their TI journey.
Mineski: A Path to Redemption
Mineski was the first Philippine team to ever set foot in The International, today’s premiere Dota 2 world tournament. It was way back in 2011 when they were invited to participate in Valve’s inaugural tournament for the sequel of the beloved custom map game Defense of the Ancients (DotA). The International 1 had over $1 million (P46.3 million~) prize pool and even though they weren’t able to get past the group stage, Mineski experienced what it was like to battle in the international scene.
It was a roller-coaster ride for Mineski since then. They participated in more international tournaments like Starladder and The Summit. However after the match-fixing scandal, the team struggled.
But this looks like a good year for Mineski since they are slowly getting back in the game. Recently with their new roster, they won the championship title for the Asia Arena Cup and was also invited in The International 5 Southeast Asian (SEA) Qualifiers.
Circumstances are slowly favoring Mineski but will they be able to sustain it?
Arcanys: One Step Toward the International Scene
Arcanys is currently lacking the final push for them to make it into the big leagues. With their performance last year, it was clear that they have the potential to be one of the teams to represent the country in international tournaments.
They got into the finals of MPGL last year where they battled against Rave and compete in the grand finals of the International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) Asian Championship in Cebu against the Korean team, MVP.Phoenix.
It was a good start for Arcanys and they even got a chance to participate in The Summit 3. Unfortunately their performance wasn’t able to make the cut to get an invite for the SEA. The start of 2015 is not looking good for the Cebuano team unless they manage to get back up and win the title for ESF Dota 2 National Championships.
What Are the Odds?
Mineski is looking good especially with its current roster. Their performances got results. They won the Asian Arena Cup, and they are currently in their seventh winning streak. Arcanys, on the other hand, also participated in the same tournament but they were defeated by Singapore-based, First Departure.
Odds are slightly in favor of Mineski based on their recent performance, however, Arcanys can still give the Manila team a great fight. The team was able to oust the veterans during the IeSF Asian Championships and it goes to show that they have potential. If they were able to show a top-notch performance as underdogs, Arcanys has a chance.
The question now is will Mineski cruise their way toward the championship? Or will Arcanys step up their game and defeat, not just Mineski, but the other contenders as well.
Or, will a new champion arise?
More Fun in ESF 2015 Cebu
Aside from the National Championships, there is also a 10v10 Dota 2 Showmatch where the audience will be able to play with/against professional players and special guests. It will be like The International All-Star Match but will we see a Pudge Dendi though?
Other tournaments in the event like the League of Legends and Crossfire are also taking place in ESF 2015. There will also be cosplays, Rig Shows and more!
Stars like Alodia Gosiengfiao and Bianca ‘Biancake‘ Yao will grace us with their beauty at the event. Also, there will be raffle draws and freebies to be given away for everyone. ESF 2015 will be on August 21-23 at SM City Cebu Megatrade Hall. See you there!
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
