After exhibiting clear indicators of misery as soon as the post-International 2022 roster shuffle started, T1 now seems to be packing its luggage and heading to the exit after reportedly promoting its spot within the 2023 Dota Pro Circuit to Bleed eSports.
According to a report from AFK Gaming, sources near the group have said that T1 could be parting methods with its spot in Southeast Asia’s Division I for the upcoming DPC season. The deal would see Singaporean esports org Bleed take over the spot as soon as it’s formally acquired.
Should this deal undergo, Bleed would additionally want to accumulate a Dota roster because the org has by no means competed within the esports—at the moment solely fielding a VALORANT roster after first forming in September 2021.
For T1, it isn’t that stunning to see the org doubtlessly exit Dota after a really poor season that concerned a variety of blended outcomes and a failed Last Chance Qualifier run which left them on the skin trying in at TI11. Roster captain Kuku has already left the workforce alongside former Geek Fam teammates Whitemon and Xepher after their contracts expired, with coach March additionally parting methods with the org as soon as the season ended.
Only Topson and ana, two all-star gamers and former TI winners with OG who have been introduced in forward of the LCQ technically stay with the workforce, although rumors already level to Topson transferring again to Europe, and ana’s future is rarely straightforward to foretell.
TI first entered Dota in August 2019 however didn’t discover any success till mid-2020 and solely grew to become a real contender in SEA as soon as it introduced on the previous Geek Fam core in January 2021. With Kuku on the helm, T1 would declare a number of top-eight finishes at main occasions, together with third on the WePlay AniMajor and seventh at TI10.
There is not any concrete proof that that is the tip of T1’s keep in Dota, however promoting a Division I slot doesn’t encourage confidence that the group will rebound, signal a brand new roster, and attempt to battle its approach again in by means of open qualifiers.
If administration would relatively take a flyer on younger expertise to try to construct one thing organically, that’s one factor, however there may be additionally an opportunity that the org will purchase one other roster and its slot outright too. Only time will inform, however no less than it seems to be like one other org will take T1’s place in supporting the scene, even when Blood is just not as massive of a reputation or draw.
