There was a time when TNC Predator was synonymous with the words Dota 2 and Southeast Asia. This is now a thing of the past as the team headed to the Division II of the DPC 2021/22 Tour 1 for the region. As of this writing, they have yet to get one win.
A Look-Back
It was back in TI6 when TNC caught the attention of Dota 2 fans around the world after they eliminated OG in the Playoffs. At that time, OG was the one analysts and commentators expected to reach the Grand Finals.
Despite losing in the next round, TNC had a consistent performance in the next few years. In the initial run for TI10, they were in the top spot in terms of DPC points, more than guaranteeing a spot for Dota 2’s biggest event. The pandemic happened and Valve had no choice but to cancel and restart everything.
Valve introduced a new format for the new season and it became evident that TNC was having a hard time. They failed to earn a spot for the Singapore Major but managed to bounce back in Season 2 and joined the WePlay AniMajor.
TNC didn’t get enough points and had to go through the qualifiers to enter TI10. The team had a good showing but eventually succumbed to Fnatic. After that, a decision was made to release the entire roster.
New Season
For the new roster, TNC went with a mix of new talent and veteran players. Its first big challenge was the new DPC season. Three weeks in and the team has yet to win its first game. They have been 0–2 in all their matches. With the new roster announced a month prior, perhaps they did not have enough time to get that needed chemistry.
What Happens Next?
There’s no question that TNC is going down to Division II when Season 2 starts. That means they won’t have enough points to get a direct invite to next year’s The International. That also means that they need to go through the qualifiers again if they earn a spot.
Hopefully, when that time comes the new roster could give the other teams a run for their money. Like TNC fans, we want to see the phoenix rise again.
