Tundra and Tidebound are out of The International 2025

by

In simpler terms, for the first time in four years, team 33 will not win The International 2025. Instead, only one Chinese team remains to participate in this year’s event, making it the most unpredictable edition of The International in recent memory.

On that day, the underdogs triumphed, with HEROIC and Nigma Galaxy securing a spot among The International 2025’s top six teams. It wasn’t a stellar year for either team, but they showed resilience in overcoming their initial struggles during the Swiss Stage to reach the playoffs.

Initially, the tournament kickoff saw high anticipation that it would be China’s year. Teams Tidebound and Xtreme Gaming had been unstoppable in the qualifiers, Road to TI. However, the former began showing signs of vulnerability following their 2-0 loss against Team Falcons.

As a gamer, I found myself in an unexpected predicament with Tundra during their Lower Bracket game against HEROIC. Despite being the favorites from Europe, we couldn’t secure a win against the underdogs from South America. It started with a 2-0 loss during the group stage, and unfortunately, history repeated itself with another 2-0 defeat. This means that Tundra won’t be making a three-peat as The International champions this year.

The end of 33’s three-peat, HEROIC to TI 2025’s top six

This year, Tundra participated in nearly all elite-level tournaments, earning impressive positions and clinching victories in two BLAST Slams and one FISSURE Playground event. On the other hand, HEROIC struggled a bit more. Their best showing was a top eight finish at the initial FISSURE Playground of the year.

Regardless of the circumstances, it’s no wonder that HEROIC emerged victorious. Tundra’s absence of Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon was a significant blow, as they still managed to make it to the top eight at TI 2025. However, reaching the top six seemed like an insurmountable challenge. The first game was clearly dominated by the South African team, while the second game showcased their adaptability with unconventional picks such as Broodmother and Pudge.

In the second match, Remco “Crystallis” Arets made a crucial mistake, stumbling upon an unanticipated glitch that trapped him inside his portal. This setback led to a take-down of his Underlord and a score for HEROIC, placing them in a stronger position. Tundra struggled to regain momentum after this, eventually allowing HEROIC to secure a spot among the top six teams at TI 2025.

Nigma puts an end to Tidebound’s dreams

Similar to Nigma Galaxy enduring a year as challenging as a heroic endeavor, the MENA region’s limited slots in tournaments made their journey grueling. They were compelled to compete in the WEU qualifiers due to this constraint, but finding success was nearly impossible, with no Tier 1 tournament qualification on the horizon. However, Kuroky’s transformation into a coach ignited a fresh start for the team. Against all odds, they squeezed through and qualified for TI 2025, not only surviving the Swiss Stage but also emerging victorious against Aurora with a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Although Tidebound didn’t win numerous titles, they began their path to TI with a commendable 4-1 score, losing only to their regional competitors Xtreme Gaming. However, this wasn’t sufficient for them in the playoffs. Their initial loss was inflicted by a team they had previously defeated, Team Falcons. Surprisingly, the very next day, Nigma caught them off guard with innovative strategies and two lengthy games that lasted thirty minutes each.

The team had two Medusa picks for Ghost, a character often banned by other teams due to his power. However, Tidebound attempted to manage it using heroes like Underlord or Sand King. Unfortunately, this approach didn’t halt Kuro’s team, who won convincingly with a 2-0 score. But the most exciting moment was when SumaiL played Muerta, putting Tidebound’s draft at risk.

Read More

2025-09-13 15:11