Vikin.gg has released its Dota 2 team. The European organization that was one of the standout performers of 2020 is stepping away from Dota 2. Vikin.gg announced the news on Twitter with very little explanation:
We made the hard decision to part ways with our current roster: @boomdota, @Shad_Dota, @KheZu, @AramisDota2, @Seleri4096 and @ImmortalFaithd.
We’re proud of everything we’ve achieved together and we wish them nothing but the best.
Thank you for your support so far❤️#VikingWay pic.twitter.com/tBJeK1Ag0t
— Vikin.gg (@GGVikin) July 15, 2021
The team’s players were largely quiet on the matter, with only Melchior “Seleri” Hillenkamp discussing the matter at any length publicly. The Vikin.gg captain suggested that the team is set to dissolve entirely, and will not remain together to seek a new sponsor.
My time with Vikingg has come to an end.
I had an incredible time working with my teammates, coach and everyone behind the scenes.
We did not have the ending we wanted, but I will not forget everything we accomplished together.1/3
— Melchior Hillenkamp (@Seleri4096) July 15, 2021
Vikin.gg first entered into Dota 2 after The International 2019, sponsoring a lineup led by veteran player Pittner “bOne7” Armand. That team lasted just two months before being released and was replaced with a roster of European prospects. Despite having limited name value, Vikin.gg performed well in 2020 by dominating smaller events and posting respectable placements in larger events. Its most notable performances were third-place finishes in EPIC League Season 2 and ESL One Los Angeles Online.
The team’s success in 2020 didn’t translate especially well to the 2021 DPC leagues. Vikin.gg qualified for the upper division of DreamLeague Season 14 but was relegated after going 2-5. In DreamLeague Season 15’s lower division, Vikin.gg went 7-0 but fell well short of qualifying for The International 2021.
The team started in the upper bracket of the qualifiers and was dealt a 2-1 loss by eventual winner OG. While that isn’t a serious indictment of the team, Vikin.gg was then eliminated entirely with a 2-0 loss to Chicken Fighters. While Vikin.gg wasn’t one of the top contenders to win, the team was still expected to put on a much stronger performance than it did.
Despite flopping in the TI10 qualifiers, Vikin.gg would have been positioned for an upper division start to the next Dota Pro Circuit season. It does seem as though the team is completely dissolved which will likely mean the promotion of another team, depending on how Valve handles qualifications for the next season.
TI10 is not set to begin in October and odds are that all five of the Vikin.gg players will continue playing pro Dota 2. Odds are the players are hoping to land with a larger organization at the start of the next season, whether individually or as the core to a new roster.
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