33: "We [Tundra Esports] are having a bit of an identity crisis recently"

We started off really well. For the first six months or so, we were arguably the best team based on results and gameplay. We had a very clear identity and strong ideas about how we wanted to play, and everything just clicked. Since then, things have been more difficult.

We’re still playing well, but we’ve definitely lost the peak form we had earlier in the year. Honestly, I can’t pinpoint exactly why, but it’s hard to stay at your very best all the time. However, things are starting to look up again, and hopefully, we can reclaim our peak form soon.

Not necessarily. When a team has a strong identity, bringing in new players doesn’t always hurt; it can actually help. Fresh players bring new perspectives and ideas, and that can prove to be really valuable. This year we’ve had a lot of stand-ins and roster changes.

Of course, stability is always nice, since it helps you build chemistry and consistency. But at the same time, frequent changes also force you to adapt and approach the game differently. So it’s hard to say whether it was for the better or worse.

Dyrachyo is very vocal and energetic. He’s constantly making calls and bringing energy to the team, which brings a lot of momentum into games. He’s just a crazy guy, you know? Crystallis, on the other hand, is quieter and more reserved. He still brings energy, but in a different way.

He’s very specialised; there are certain heroes he’s really good at, and it’s scary to play against him on those. We try to enable him on those picks because his game sense around them is exceptional. He knows exactly what he needs, how to position, and how to make calls for the team when playing those heroes. Dyrachyo is a high-energy player, while Crystallis is more methodical and focused on his strengths.

That’s actually something we’ve been figuring out recently. You could say we’ve had a bit of an identity crisis. We’ve liked playing a slower, more map-control-oriented style compared to other teams that prefer a more aggressive style. Finding the right balance between sticking to what has worked for us in the past and adapting to new meta ideas has been our main challenge. It’s a work in progress, but we’re getting closer.

Our biggest strength is our understanding of the game. Even if our execution isn’t always perfect, we’re very good at analysing our matches and learning from them. Our deeper understanding of how the game should be played is better than most teams, and that gives us an edge.

Team Spirit look really strong right now, and their form has been great. Our last tournament was a bit shaky at first, but we bounced back strongly, and that will help us perform better at TI 2025. But there’s a really good chance either Collapse or I win this year.

Personally, if it’s not me, I’d love for it to be him. I’m a big fan of Collapse; he’s just an amazing player. Whenever I don’t win, I always root for Team Spirit because watching them in top form is just really enjoyable.

I’m not really concerned just because they play many different heroes, but at the end of the day, those heroes often have similar tasks. Whether Yatoro’s playing Medusa, Troll, or Faceless Void, the task is essentially the same: being the win condition.

It does give Team Spirit more flexibility in drafts, which is nice for them, but as opponents, it doesn’t change too much for us. You simply can’t ban everything, so they’ll always get something they’re comfortable with.

Of course. Every team studies the best-performing squads to see what they can adapt. For Team Spirit, their laning and map movements are impressive, so that’s something we, and I hope other Dota 2 teams, try to learn from. Draft-wise, we might steal an idea or two, but it’s mostly their overall approach that particularly stands out.

Honestly speaking, it’s great to see this change. In the past, there were usually one or two dominant teams at each TI, and the rest felt a step behind. This year, though, the level of competition is much higher across the board. The top eight teams all feel capable of beating each other, making things unpredictable and exciting.

It’s refreshing to see teams adapt to such a high level, grasping the meta shifts firmly and giving tough competition. Whether it stays this way after roster shuffles, we’ll see. But right now, it feels like anyone can win, and that’s not something we see every day in Dota 2.

No. I plan to keep playing regardless of the result.

From a selfish point of view, of course, I’d like to see TI with a higher prize pool. That said, I understand not wanting to go back to the $30–40 million days, because that was just insane and a bit excessive. But I do think there should be a balance. A prize pool of around $4–5 million would still make TI feel truly special compared to regular events.

Right now, when a TI prize pool is equivalent to two weekend events combined, like PGL or BLAST, it loses some of that prestige. For me, it doesn’t feel as special anymore, maybe because I’ve already achieved it. For many players, winning TI is still the ultimate dream, but having done it myself, the feeling isn’t quite the same.

Just playing the tournament. TI is always special, and I look forward to the whole experience: the atmosphere, the competition, and hopefully making a deep run. I just want to enjoy it and achieve a strong result.