Invictus Gaming, Thunder Predator jump in Dota 2 team rankings

Steven Rondina Published 06/04/2021

The ONE Esports Singapore Major was the first proper international tournament in Dota 2 since Dota Summit 12 in March 2020. Questions were abound in regards to how the six Dota 2 regions would stacke up against one another. Surprisingly for many fans, there was a great deal of parity there.

Five different regions had teams place in the top six. Fittingly, the most recent installment of WIN.gg’s Dota 2 team rankings reflect that. Despite China, Europe, and CIS long having an airtight hold on almost every top-10 spot, teams from around the world are now getting some love.

Here are the rankings following the Singapore Major:

Catch up on the Dota 2 rankings:

How the rankings work

Invictus Gaming wins major, still not top-ranked Dota 2 team

Invictus Gaming’s Dota 2 team scored a critical win by taking first place in the ONE Esports Singapore Major. While one might expect them to rocket up into the top spot as a result, well not so fast.

Though Invictus Gaming’s win is huge and essentially guarantees them a spot at The International 10, the team’s overall body of work isn’t defined by consistent dominance in the way that Team Secret’s or Evil Geniuses’ is. Even ahead of the Singapore Major, Invictus Gaming stumbled and took an early elimination from FDC Season 3. The team also hasn’t completely shaken the ugly end to 2020 it endured.

Still, placing deep inside the top 10 is nothing to shrug at and the team is in a strong position to climb further up if anyone higher starts to slip.

NA teams climb with Evil Geniuses, SA with Thunder Predator

North American Dota 2 was the subject of a whole host of memes throughout 2020, with OG’s Johan “N0tail” Sundstein leading the charge. Evil Geniuses may have lost to Invictus Gaming in the Singapore Major finals, but the team’s performance at the tournament still acquitted the region when it came to questions over its legitimacy.

Thunder Predator did the same, but in even more impressive fashion. The South American runner-up absolutely dominated the group stage by going 12-2 in maps. Despite being given a reality check in the opening round of the playoffs by Team Secret, the team still forced its way through the lower bracket to take home a respectable sixth-place finish.

Those performances ultimately saw both Evil Geniuses and Thunder Predator make some serious gains, and they weren’t alone. NA regional rival Quincy Crew also maintained a strong position despite washing out of the Singapore Major in the first round of the lower bracket while playing with a substitute, while Undying, 4 Zoomers, and beastcoast all made gains but still fell outside the top 10.

This uptick may or may not last over time, but things will likely become more clear once the 2021 Dota Pro Circuit season resumes in just a few weeks.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile