Digital Chaos TI6 journey: From rejects to Dota 2 ruling class

Digital Chaos TI6 journey will be chronicled in Dota 2 history as the rejects that rose to become the Dota 2 ruling class. Their story spans the course of only several months – since the end of March 2015 when the team was unexpectedly formed under calamitous circumstances until their rise through the TI6 brackets to overcome, overpower and rule their opponents and their fate. Taking up a place on the International 6 podium of top three teams in the world, Digital Chaos’ journey is inspiring.

UPDATE (August 13th):

TI6 final standings, updates and highlights – HERE

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The Digital Chaos TI6 journey is a beautifully orchestrated story that touches upon all human emotions and experiences.

It’s one that can easily evoke feelings of empathy and a desire to stand behind the underdogs as they fight their way to the top. Having been dropped in the witching hour and cast to the side to be left potentially team-less, they found each other and the resolve to let their adversity be their fuel and strength.

It can easily incite international pride – a band of rejects forming out of necessity to overcome regional, cultural and language differences to become an unparalleled opponent. Traveling half way across the globe, the team landed in Arizona to find common ground. They put aside norms, predetermined perceptions and expectations as they learned to synchronize and develop a communication style based on universal understanding and game-play.

It can easily instill inspiration as three TI greenhorns grace the stage of the Internationals for the first time – alongside veterans. Six time TI participant plays next to first time TI competitors on the main stage and is able to let go of any feelings of superiority and egos. Aspiring to be the best, experience on the big stage was ignored – opting to instead focus on the potential and the future.

The Digital Chaos TI6 journey has culminated from the rock bottom rejects to the ruling class sitting at the top of the world stage in Seattle, Washington with five of the finest players in Dota 2 today.

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The North American team set the tone and pace right out of the gates in the TI6 group stage. Their first day, the under-rated team had already taken a win from the Korean Overlords and wiped through Fnatic with a grand display of skill and talent. They continued on to roll over the TI4 championship team Newbee and upset Team Secret – both series with spectacular synergy and cohesion before moving on to plow through Team Liquid and take one match off of EHOME.

Their start could not have been much better and was infinitely more successful and impressive than many fans had given them credit to be heading to Seattle. They were an underdog turning Cinderella story.

Later in the main event, w33 would tell Kaci Aitchison in a victory interview

When people expect less from you, you perform better. We formed this team for top 8. Everyone wants to win, of course, but you have to be realistic

Their run in the main event has been dazzling thus far. In a spectacular showing filled with clutch plays, perserverance, incredible rotations and honed in synergy their only loss in the lower brackets was suffered at the hands of TnC Pro.

As they cut through each opponent with relative ease, the North American based team seemed to gain even more strength and precision.

They now find themselves sitting on the podium alongside the TI5 championship team Evil Geniuses and the Chinese giants – Wings Gaming for more than realistic shot at the Aegis and $9 million prize.

Through it all the team remains humble and focused – perhaps a nod to the strength and maturity they have developed through their touchy beginnings and the obstacles they triumphed over.

Digital Chaos’ captain, Misery, would tell Kaci Aitchison during a post-game interview that the experience has been unbelievable – this coming from the six time International competitor.

It’s not over yet, so I can’t really feel relieved. It doesn’t really feel like I’m playing at TI – because in all the previous years my teams were crumbling. Now we’re doing great and it’s hard to believe, considering where I was in March

Digital Chaos will go head to head in the lower brackets tonight against the TI5 championship team – Evil Geniuses at 10:30 PDT/19:30 CEST. One team will take third place and the $2,165,334 place prize and the other will advance to the Grand Finals to face Wings Gaming and the chance to take home the Aegis and TI6 championship title.

Rejection served with a side of Chaos

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Digital Chaos came together amid what one could only classify as – rejection served with a side of chaos.

With only four days before the rosters locked this group of casualties from the ugly side of Dota 2 roster reshuffles had each suddenly found themselves on the short end of the stick.

Team Secret had just claimed the championship title at the Shanghai Major – celebrating both Puppey and w33’s shared birthdays in the process. The world and even their own team members were unaware of the storm that was brewing that would unleash havoc two weeks later.

The ripple effect of the destructive and completely unexpected reshuffle Team Secret initiated was powerful enough to upset and tear apart several teams in the process.

w33 and MiSeRy were blindsided and unexpectedly replaced on Team Secret with only four days remaining before the rosters were to be locked for the Manila Major and The International 6. A devastating rejection as it was, paired with an uncertain and grim future.

Resolut1on had parted ways with Digital Chaos on March 23rd, after only 6 weeks of competition with the team. The original Digital Chaos roster that he had been part of was dissolved by default after they lost Theeban “1437” Siva to Team Secret as a coach and then Evil Geniuses officially welcomed back both Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling and Sam “BuLba” Sosale to the organization after losing Artour “Arteezy” Babaev and Saahil “UNiVeRsE” Arora to the Europeans.

Moo had also thought his team was set for the upcoming season but with Jesus “Ztok” Carhuaricra being flagged as ineligible due to recent matchfixing when he tried to register, Moo’s team and hopes started to fall apart.

In a matter of days offers, connections and plans were made in hopes for each of the members to salvage something of their TI6 dreams.

The rites of passage

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Not sure what the outcome would hold, the team was Westward bound and took control of their fate. While touting individual skill and respect from the community, three members on the team clock in with two years or less competing on a professional Dota 2 level.

The team came in and completely destroyed and dominated the region. Turning compLexity upside down, they began to snatch all qualifiers and minor tournaments out from under them.

They seized a spot in the Manila Major after barreling through the Manila Major NA open qualifiers and then overcoming Shazam, 3:0, in the region’s Grand Finals.

They proved over a short period of time to be a formidable enemy in the North American region – claiming the NA qualifier spots for both The Summit 5 and SL iLeague StarSeries s2.

The team’s premier LAN debut was the Manila Major, where they placed 9th-12th. They then took 5th-6th place at both the Nanyang Championships and The Summit 5 and SLTV iLeague StarSeries season 2.

Emerging at the top

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Digital Chaos have already shown exceptional coordination and synergy lately – having an outstanding run in the group stage and performance in the Upper Brackets first round.

Despite being knocked into the lower ranks by Wings Gaming, Digital Chaos’ playstyle and presence has been in top form. Roman “Resolut1on” Fominok had recently disclosed that the team had recently gained the help of a second coach, focusing on communication and relationships and it shows.

Fine tuned precision in rotations, team fights coordination and scouting would lead the newly formed DC to victory.

In another great display of strength from DC, as the North-American team managed best the Filipino pride TnC Pro 2:1. Their night had just begun and DC advanced in the lower brackets only to outdraft and outplay Chinese Juggernauts EHOME in two very one-sided games.

DC had reached Top 4 and secured a pay-check of at least $1.4 million. Their run was already more than impressive but wasn’t over yet.

The following day – on the back of superb individual plays and flawless team coordination, Digital Chaos managed to down Fnatic 2:0, to reach Top 3 and the Lower Bracket Finals, and secure a paycheck of at least $2.1 million.

Band of unlikely heroes

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All the success and achievements as of late comes from or in spite of a variety of experience, backgrounds and cultures. An unlikely mixture that has produced ground breaking results.

A pair of veterans

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misery and resolut1on (saksa standing behind) at TI6

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Misery and Resolut1on are no strangers to the International stage and premier competitions.

Misery is one of the few players who can boast having attended all six International events, albeit as a part of six different teams: Meet Your Makers (TI1), Counter Logic Gaming (TI2), LGD.international (TI3), Mousesports (TI4), Cloud 9 (TI5) and now Digital Chaos (TI6).

The Danish player started his professional Dota career in 2008, as a semi-carry player. He started in DotA 1, but transitioned into Dota 2 together with his team MYM to play at The International 2011. They finished fourth, but disbanded within days.

Later on in 2012 he would make the move to China to join LGD.international and even switched to a carry role. However, 10 months later and only two achievements to show for his time in China, he announced his departure from the team and joined Team Dog, which was signed up by Mousesports right before The International 4. After a disappointing eleventh place finish, the team disbanded and several months later Misery settled into Cloud 9 during the January 2015 reshuffle.

Following a sub-par TI5 performance with Cloud 9 being eliminated on the second day of the main event -placing 10th overall the team disbanded. Fortunately, the veteran player didn’t have to wait long to find himself a new top tier team to compete with. Shortly after,
Team Secret’s official announcement of their new roster included none other than Misery in the lineup – joining current team member w33.

Team Secret had an incredible strong start post-TI5, with their revamped roster. Taking second in their debut tournament at ESL One New York, the Europeans then took possession of two consecutive LAN championship titles and the runner-up token for The Frankfurt Major. Followed by a bit of a slide in their performance and results, the team bounced back to the championship title and trophy at the Shanghai Major.

Meanwhile, in the Ukraine, Resolut1on started his Dota 2 career in the spring of 2013. After some impressive results with team iCCupRoman started to catch the attention and eye of some of the more known and seasoned veterans in the scene.

Virtus.pro picked him up in the post-TI3 reshuffle and Roman would switch from his mid role to carry.

He stayed with Virtus.Pro for only two months before joining RoxKiss for a few weeks and then going to Team Empire in November of 2013, where he remained for the next three years – even following their lackluster performance at TI4 and TI5.

Months passed and in February the Ukrainian player would make a bold decision. In a surprising and unprecedented move of a CIS player to a North American team, Resolut1on parted ways with Team Empire to instead play with Digital Chaos. His life and continent changing move lasted only six weeks as the team had dissolved in the aftermath of the Team Secret post Shanghai Major shuffle.

A Trio of International tenderfoots

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Both w33 and Saksa got their start around the same time in 2014 playing for Balkan Based teams – Balkan Bears and the Macedonian team Global Challengers respectively. They started to quickly make names for themselves as they began to climb the MMR ladder.

W33’s meepo plays began to gain much traction and popularity in the community and pro player circuit.

Saksa and w33 were among the first to hit the elusive 8k MMR rank and their paths continued on a similar course having played for Balkan Bears and 4 Clover & Lepricon. Neither player seemed to find much success with these teams, always just a fingertip out of reach for gaining that opportunity to break through.

It would seem that w33’s break came for him more through the time spent playing in EEL – European Elite League with the pro players and other aspiring Dota 2 competitors. The higher level of game play and networking gave him more of a chance to showcase his talent and personality. It was shortly after that, he was then recruited to join Team Secret in August 2015 – a break that would become a turning point in his career.

The next seven months would be of tremendous success for the Romanian player, gaining recognition and popularity on his Windranger, Invoker and Meepo skills. During his time on Team Secret, he achieved multiple premier and major top placements including ESL One New York 2015, MLG World Finals, Nanyang Dota 2 Championships, The Frankfurt Major 2015 and an astounding championship title at The Shanghai Major 2016.

Meanwhile on the other side of the world, Moo had begun to play for ROOT Gaming in 2015. Later joining FIRE, the team was picked up by Team Archon, and he was given the opportunity to compete in ESL One New York and the Shanghai Major but disbanded shortly after, leaving Moo once again to find a new home to showcase his untapped talents.

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