Dota 2’s biggest tournament, The International 2023, came to an end with an unexpected success story for Chinese fans. Azure Ray (AR), a team composed of retired players, defied all odds and secured a top-four finish in the competition. What made their achievement even more captivating was the fact that one of the players was peer-pressured into joining the team.
AR was formed during the Dota 2 season by Lu “Somnus” Yao, who couldn’t resist the allure of competitive gaming. Gathering a group of legendary players, including Xu “fy” Linsen, Somnus quickly built a formidable team. Surpassing everyone’s expectations, AR rose to the top in their region.
In an interview after their exit from TI 2023, fy was asked about his personal satisfaction with the season and whether he had anticipated this level of success when they formed the team. Fy jokingly replied, “I don’t know, I got dragged into playing TI.” However, it has been revealed that this is actually what happened.
Somnus, fy, and Yang “Chalice” Shenyi were contemplating a return to competitive Dota 2 and found themselves searching for reasons to make a comeback. Considering their time away from the scene, the trio decided not to ask for any salary while joining Azure Ray.
AR became more than just a team; they were a group of friends who wanted to enjoy playing Dota 2 on the grandest stage. Even in defeat, it was evident that the members of AR were having a great time both inside and outside the player booth.
Previously, Somnus, fy, and Chalice had reached the TI finals together in 2018 and secured a third-place finish in 2019. However, falling short of glory took a toll on both the players and the team, leading to their disbandment. Nevertheless, their time apart allowed them to grow as players and overcome some of the most devastating losses in their careers.
Although Azure Ray didn’t claim the championship at TI 2023, Dota 2 fans were thrilled to see these Uncrowned Kings of the game having the time of their lives.
Source: DOTESPORTS
