At The International, fans expect standout moments—like Black Hole from Enigma or Rampages from Phantom Assassin. However, The International 2024 has yet to deliver these, with nearly 30 heroes absent from drafts, which is unusual for world championships. Notably missing is Meepo, who hasn't appeared since 2019.
Meepo, a situational hero, used to excite audiences when picked, especially as a last pick. Despite this, he has not featured in The International recently, which is striking given his absence for four consecutive years.
Nevertheless, Meepo is performing well in high-ranked matchmaking with a 55% win rate as a carry, indicating he is still viable.
Some teams have successfully used Meepo this season, with builds like Aghanim's Scepter proving effective. Yet, he remains overlooked at The International. Why?
Meepo’s complexity is a major factor. Controlling multiple units requires extensive practice, making him less appealing compared to more straightforward heroes like Mirana. Without significant experience, picking Meepo in official matches is risky.
Having a Meepo player provides strategic advantages: picking him as a last pick, flexing him between core positions, disrupting the enemy's game plan, and forcing bans on other crucial heroes.
At TI9, teams like Aliwi "w33" Omar’s used Meepo effectively, with notable moments like his Rampage. Other players such as Abed, N0tail, Ace, and AhJit also frequently used Meepo.
Currently, among the top 8 players at The International 2024, Meepo is largely unfamiliar. Only Ivan "Pure~" Moskalenko and Alimzhan "Watson" Islambekov have played him professionally this season. The others have minimal experience:
- MiCKe: 0 matches
- Dyrachyo: 0 matches
- Skiter: 0 matches
- Ame: 0 matches
- 23savage: 0 matches
- Saika: 2 matches
For mid-laners, only Vladimir "No[o]ne" Minenko and Michał "Nisha" Jankowski have significant experience with Meepo:
- XM: 0 matches
- Malr1ne: 0 matches
- Topson: 0 matches
- Quinn: 1 match
- GpK~: 1 match
- Lorenof: 1 match
- Nisha: 7 matches
- No[o]ne: 11 matches