T1 announces all-Korean Dota 2 roster, including veteran Forev

Olivia Richman Published 10/10/2019

With lasting legacies in StarCraft and League of Legends, T1 is now hoping to have the same level of success in Dota 2. 

Although Dota 2 isn’t the most popular esport in South Korea, T1 will be entering upcoming tournaments with an all-Korean roster. In fact, this may be the country’s best chance today at leaving a lasting impression in the Dota 2 competitive scene. 

The current roster inclues Ha “Grace” Tae-eun, sn0w, and XemistrY. These players will be joining Sang-don “Forev” Lee, T1’s first official Dota 2 recruit. Forev is a seasoned Dota 2 player who played for J.Storm earlier in the year.

The 27-year-old has attended three editions of The International. As part of MVP Phoenix, Forev placed fifth at TI6.

Mental Proctor, who recently played for FNATIC, is said to be a possible stand-in. The team’s fifth player has yet to be announced. They will be chosen during a try-out period within the next two months, and it may even be a high-ranking player from a differenet MOBA title, like Heroes of the Storm or League of Legends. 

The final roster will first compete in an online tournament, the QI League.

T1’s taking another shot at Dota 2

This wasn’t the team formerly known as SK Telecom T1’s first time pursuing Dota 2. 

T1 first announced a Dota 2 team in August, hoping to qualify for The International 2019. That was when Forev was initially signed. The veteran formed Team Jinesbrus with four other seasoned professionals, including fellow T1 player XemistrY, along with Milan, chu, and benrur. 

It seemed promising, but a loss against Mineski in the final round of the regional qualifiers saw them just barely miss out on TI9. 

With a second team revolving aroud Forev, T1 is again hoping to make a splash in Dota 2. It’s still up in the air if their Dota 2 journey will turn Forev into the next Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, but some more reasonable goals might be a better starting point.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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