Connection issues affect SEA qualifiers for ESL Los Angeles

Connectivity issues hindered two Southeast Asian teams from winning crucial series during ESL One Los Angeles’ closed qualifier.

Imagine losing a game without having the chance to defend the throne. This may sound anticlimactic to Dota 2 players, but for the professional esports athletes, it’s an even worse circumstance.

An unstable internet connection may not be an issue for teams from the EU or the Americas. In Southeast Asia, this is a frequent dilemma. Pro Dota 2 teams tend to prepare a backup line because they are fully aware of the consistent lags and spikes. However, some teams do not have the privilege of a backup line due to lack of budget and unstable second tier scene.

The ESL One Los Angeles Qualifier saw this issue firsthand.

Unstable internet undermines SEA qualifier in Dota 2

Team Adroit had an impressive run in the group stage. The team stomped Dota Pro Circuit’s current top seed TNC Predator with a clean 2-0 finish. In much the same way it dominated other teams such as Reality Rift and Neon Esports.

However, IO Dota2 managed to chalk up a win against the undefeated Team Adroit.

Team Adroit still looked strong in the playoffs with its almost flawless group stage run. The team’s spirit was high only to face connectivity issues that will affect the players’ morale.

Unfortunately, Team Adroit had to forfeit Game 1 against Fnatic. The players were forced to play at a local internet café to continue the series. The inconvenience translated to another lost game, and the team fought hard for the third ESL spot against IO Dota2. The rematch favored Team Adroit.

Despite a few hiccups along the way, Team Adroit got the coveted spot to the third DPC Major.

The current roster of Team Adroit was also the same lineup who won the first-ever gold medal in the Dota 2 event of the recent SEA Games 2019.

Another team that suffered from connectivity issues is Lowkey Esports. The current team of former TNC player Samson Solomon Enojosa “Sam_H” Hidalgo lost the chance to qualify in StarLadder ImbaTV Minor.

Lowkey Esports was up against Cignal Ultra for a spot in the Minor Qualifier Decider. However, the team was disconnected after 27 minutes of the game.

The team was then unable to reconnect in the game, and the win was automatically given to Cignal Ultra.

In the end, three SEA teams qualified to ESL One Los Angeles while four teams got the spot to StarLadder ImbaTV Minor. Fnatic, Geek Fam, and Team Adroit took the three golden tickets to the third DPC major in Los Angeles, California.