ESL One Malaysia 2023: Overview

Dota 2 fans from around the globe will be able to experience not only the kind of weather in Southeast Asia but also how supportive and committed SEA Dota 2 fans are when it comes to tournaments and events, especially in the upcoming ESL One Malaysia 2023. After two massively popular and successful events in 2017 and 2018, ESL is returning to Malaysia for the third time for a LAN tournament sponsored by Intel, which will be held in the Genting Highlands.

The Genting Highlands’ Arena of Stars will once again become the go-to location for every DOTA 2 enthusiast from August 26 to 28, 2023. Fans, game enthusiasts, talents, and even organizers, couldn’t be more thrilled to be returning to the Genting Highlands once more with 12 of the greatest teams in the globe, a prize pool of $400,000, and more than two years since the previous jam-packed crowd event in Southeast Asia.

Also known as the Capital City of Entertainment in Malaysia, Genting Highland is renowned for its mild climate, both indoor and outdoor entertainment parks, and of course, a casino for all the merry gamblers. Furthermore, the tournament’s strategic placement only a few weeks before the International 11 (TI11) in Singapore makes it even more enticing. As the tournament’s organizers finalizing all the details needed for the event, here are the things that you should know about ESL One Malaysia 2023.

Things You Need to Know About ESL One Malaysia 2023

Format

Participants

• There will be a total of twelve (12) teams for the tournament.
  • Six teams are direct invite.
  • Two teams from Southeast Asia and one each from China, North America, Latin America, and Europe/CIS.

Group Stage – August 23 to August 25, 2023,

• There will be two groups consisting of six teams each.
• The group stage will be played in a single round-robin, and all matches will be in a Best-of-2 series.
• The top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs’ upper bracket.
• Each group’s third and fourth-place teams will go down to the lower round of the playoffs.
• The teams remaining are eliminated.

Playoffs – August 26 to August 28, 2023,

• There will be a double-elimination bracket, which means that those teams from the upper bracket that will lose in the first round will have the chance to redeem their team in the lower bracket against other teams.
• The Grand Final will be played through a Best-of-5 series, while other matches will be played through best-of-3.

Prize Pool

There will be a total of 400,000 USD as a prize pool for the upcoming ESL One Malaysia 2023, and it will be spread among participating teams. However, there is still no final distribution posted by the organizers.

Participating Teams

There will be a total of twelve (12) participating teams for the upcoming ESL One Malaysia 2023 six (6) of them are direct invites, and the remaining five (6) are two from Southeast Asia and one each from China, Europe/CIS, North America, and South America. More so, here are the teams and their updated roster for the event:

Also, those teams that have an asterisk (*) are subject to change when it comes to their roster as teams are still applying for visas for the upcoming ESL One Malaysia 2023.

4 Reasons Why You Should Watch ESL One Malaysia 2023 in August

Jam-packed Crowd

One of the reasons why Southeast Asia is loved by the whole Dota 2 community is because of the fans’ commitment and love for the game. And most events and tournaments, especially majors, done in Southeast Asia, are always sold out and jam-packed. SEA Dota 2 culture is different from other regions as fans always cheer for all the teams participating in whatever region they represent.

Stacked Teams

Have you seen the participating teams? All those teams mentioned are not only the best in their region but also have a huge fanbase. Whether it may be OG, Fnatic, Team Liquid, Team Secret, Nigma Galaxy, or BOOM Esports (which is a favorite team by Southeast Asian fans because of its multinationalism) can go against other teams and might win the upcoming ESL One Malaysia 2023.

SEA Talents Do Not Disappoint

Southeast Asia is not only known for its best crowd or hyped fans but also for its talents, especially cosplayers, broadcasters, and artists that always entertain the crowd with energy and enthusiasm. SEA Talents are one of the best, and they do not disappoint when it comes to huge events like ESL One Malaysia 2023.

The Last Tournament Before TI11

ESL One Malaysia is the last tournament before the qualifiers for The International 11 (TI11), which will be held in Singapore. And whoever will win the tournament or even those who will be in the top four (4) will have a significant advantage for TI.

Also, teams from other regions, Europe/CIS, North America, South America, and China, will have to extend their stay in Southeast Asia not only to prepare for TI but also to adapt to changes in the environment, weather, and culture.

And also, for organizers, hosting ESL in Malaysia, a neighbor of Singapore, is strategically significant because not only ESL One is careful to avoid mishaps, just like in previous ESL events, but it also allows tourists to enjoy the best attractions in the country.

Emanuel Jonathan Founder

Emanuel Jonathan is a retired eSportsman who is now an expert in tournament analytics and eSports betting. He shares his knowledge with others through dota2-bets.org, providing accurate information on betting sites, tournament reviews, and news on eSports. He is an avid reader and writer and is always seeking opportunities to share his expertise.

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