Perspectives on Southeast Asia’s Premier Tournament

The ESL One Bangkok 2024 tournament, held from 9 to 15 December in Thailand’s capital city, sparked diverse reactions among professional players, streamers, and fans alike. With a prize pool of $1 million, the event brought together 12 of the world's strongest teams, yet the opinions about the tournament varied greatly.

23savage: Pride for His Hometown

Nuengnara "23savage" Teeramahanon, a player for OG from Thailand, expressed his gratitude on social media platform X for the opportunity to be part of the event, even as a spectator:

"Huge thanks to ESL for hosting the tournament in my hometown. I've never felt this much love from fans before, haha. I'm grateful to all the viewers from Southeast Asia and Thailand – the tournament was amazing, even though I attended as a spectator. Please come again!"

For 23savage, the event was a special moment. Even from the stands, his presence strengthened his bond with fans and inspired the Dota 2 community in the region.

Illidan: Criticism of Gameplay Quality

Ilya "Illidan" Pivtsaev, a popular streamer and former professional player for Team Spirit, was far less impressed by the event. During his Twitch stream, he remarked:

"Honestly, I didn’t like the tournament. All the teams played poorly. This isn’t the level we expect. The mistakes and blunders I saw here didn’t happen at Riyadh Masters 2024 or TI13. I guess everyone’s just tired."

Illidan’s comments reflected his disappointment with the overall standard of play, particularly when compared to other major tournaments earlier in the year.

Miposhka: Team Spirit’s Reflections and Future Plans

Team Spirit’s captain, Yaroslav "Miposhka" Naidenov, emphasised the importance of adaptation and pushing boundaries for future success:

"To beat strong teams and secure top places, we need to experiment more and step out of our comfort zone. New players sometimes feel constrained during critical matches. They avoid taking risks and stick to what feels safe.
To achieve great results, we have to be more flexible."

Miposhka also hinted at the potential return of Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov to the roster, a move that could significantly bolster the team in the upcoming season.