Tundra Esports, the reigning champions of 2022, entered The International 2023 with high expectations. With the addition of Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen, hopes soared even higher. However, the team’s dreams came crashing down as they flamed out of the tournament, leaving behind a painful process that was captured in their TI 2023 documentary.
Released on YouTube on November 1st, the documentary offered fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look as Tundra navigated through the group stage. But as the story unfolded, a sense of uncertainty crept in, with players Jingjun “Sneyking” Wu and Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling shedding light on Tundra’s struggles.
“After our loss to Entity, the future is uncertain for us,” Aui expressed. “No one knows if there will be a reshuffle or if we will continue playing together like this.”
Rumors circulated that Tundra’s contracts, including their star signing Topson, were set to expire after TI 2023. This could explain the palpable uncertainty felt throughout the documentary. In an interview with Dot Esports, Nine revealed that Tundra’s partnership with Topson might not extend beyond TI 2023, as the team was solely focused on the present and the task at hand.
Nine’s comments also hinted at the possibility of short-term contracts, meaning the team would need to decide whether they wanted to stick together before committing to Tundra or another organization.
According to Sneyking, Tundra struggled to find harmony between the patch, teamwork, synergy, and individual gameplay. The TI-winning captain believed that all four elements were crucial for lifting the Aegis of Champions, and Tundra fell short in these aspects this year.
Tundra’s coach, Aui_2000, evaluated the team’s gameplay as sloppy, attributing it to the players not being in their best mental form.
Despite their early exit at TI 2023, all of Tundra’s players expressed gratitude for their two years of collaboration. They concluded the documentary with a heartfelt thank you to the fans for their unwavering support through the highs and lows, hoping to deliver more Dota 2 excitement in the future with “more stories to come.”
| Time | Score |
|---|---|
| Group Stage | |
| Loss to Entity | |
| Contracts rumored to expire after TI 2023 | |
| Uncertainty about future | |
| Short-term contracts possibility | |
| Struggle to find harmony in gameplay | |
| Coach’s evaluation of sloppy gameplay | |
| Gratitude towards fans |
Source: DOTESPORTS
