Team Secret looking scary with big Gamers Without Borders win

Steven Rondina Published 19/05/2020

If Team Secret was having any kind of issues with the move from live Dota 2 events to online tournaments, those issues appear to have been resolved.

Clement “Puppey” Ivanov and company posted a very strong performance in the Gamers Without Borders 2020 Dota 2 tournament. The team ran through the competition and locked up first place, earning $750,000 to be donated towards charity.

Team Secret took to Twitter and stated that half of the sum will be donated to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The other half will go to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

We are the Gamers Without Borders 2020 Champions! ????

We have decided to split the $750,000 grand prize into two separate donations:

– $375,000 to the Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance @gavi
– $375,000 to The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement @IFRC #SecretDota #GWBPS pic.twitter.com/k7f04bvgFe
— Team Secret (@teamsecret) May 17, 2020

The event featured a total charitable prize pool of $1.5 million. Other teams that competed at the event selected other charities, such as Alliance sending its winnings to UNICEF and OG donating to the International Medical Corps.

Though the teams competing may not have received any earnings from competing in the event, Secret still posted a vintage performance.

Secret kicked off its run in the single-elimination, eight-team tournament with a strong victory over Ninjas in Pyjamas. That set Secret up with a semifinals matchup against Alliance. Though the Swedish squad put up a good fight, Secret managed to force the win.

Puppey took on his former organization Natus Vincere in the finals and scored a lopsided victory. Outside of a competitive second game, Secret put the boots to Na’Vi, turning huge kill leads into decisive victories en route to a 3-0 sweep finish.

???? Nothing to see here, just Zai Timbersaw things ????

???? https://t.co/tkUfBaAmxE #SecretDota #GWBPS pic.twitter.com/nXqsdFKxJ3
— Team Secret (@teamsecret) May 17, 2020

Secret gets its groove back with WePlay!, GWB wins

Team Secret has sat firmly at or near the top of the Dota 2 ranks for years now, winning numerous majors as well as a slew of other live events. The trouble is that Secret isn’t playing in majors or live events these days.

Playing in an online league is very different from playing on LAN and presents a slew of unique challenges both competitively and personally for esports pros across all games. The mass adoption of online events has seen some teams thrive in that setting, while others have struggled to make that change.

Initially, it seemed like Secret was going to be one of the teams on the bad end of that change. The team didn’t look as strong as it usually does in WeSave! Charity Play or the ESL One Los Angeles European and CIS league, something that no doubt worried fans of the side.

Secret has rebounded well since then. The team took first place in the WePlay! Pushka League and looked very strong here as well. Though the competition at the top remains fierce, Secret looks ready to be the favorite for any upcoming events it competes in.

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.

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