Dota 2 – The New Names at The International 12

Here are some of the most important new players we will have the chance to watch at The International 12.

Since it’s just a few weeks away, The International 12 is slowly becoming the topic of conversation for many Dota 2 fans. We already know the names of the teams that secured a slot via the TI12 qualifiers. In other words, we have all of the information about the teams and players.

While it’s true that we will have to wait a bit more for the other important details, there are a few things that are important to know. One of them is the names of the new players that will compete at The International 12 for the first time. This is, without a doubt, these players’ biggest event so far, so they will try to give everything they have.

Speaking of new names at The International 12, there are a lot of players to go through. However, we know that some of them are a bit more interesting than others, so the article will focus on them.

Guo “shiro” Xuanang

The first of the new names at The International 12 comes from China, and he is a part of PSG.LGD. Shiro became a popular name in the professional Dota 2 scene after he became a part of PSG.LGD. A lot of players did not believe he could fill in Ame’s shoes, but the young superstar proved everyone wrong.

The 22-year-old player did not have that much experience on the big stage prior to joining LGD. Although he’s been a pro since 2019, shiro’s biggest team prior to LGD was EHOME. Sadly, the latter wasn’t able to achieve good results and lost the Chinese International qualifiers.

Luckily for shiro, he didn’t have to go through this again because the player and his team got enough DPC points to be one of the directly-invited squads. He has proven he can play well under pressure, but we’re yet to see him at an event like The International.

Lou “Lou” Zhen 

While on the topic of Chinese carries that will be among the new names at The International 12, we have to point out at Lou. Despite being just 22 years of age, the amazing Chinese superstar is slowly becoming one of the best players in the region. He was a part of Ybb gaming for a few months but decided to make a move to Azure Ray. The latter is an all-star Chinese squad with the likes of Maybe and fy, two of the most successful and experienced players in the world.

Lou’s career started in 2001, but he quickly rose to the top in China. Known for being really good with the likes of Templar Assassin, Phantom Assassin and Troll Warlord, this is a player that you should pay attention to.

Ilya “squad1x” Kuvaldin 

Another carry player that will be making their first steps at The International 12 is squd1x. Although he and his team were unable to secure one of the direct invitations due to the lack of DPC points, Virtus.Pro earned their spot at the event by winning the qualifiers.

Every single team member had a key role in the team’s success, but squad1x was on another level. The player was responsible for some of the results because he stepped in when the team needed him the most. Needless to say, players who’ve seen squad1x in action will be eager to see him again at The International 12.

What’s interesting about Virtus.Pro’s current roster is that almost everyone hasn’t played at The International before. The lack of experience will definitely have an impact on the squad’s results, but since VP won the qualifiers, we expect the squad to step up its game.

Gleb “kiyotaka” Zyryanov 

Eastern Europe has many interesting new names at The International 12, and kiyotaka is one of them. Even though he will most likely be the youngest start at this tournament at just 19 years of age, he’s definitely someone who you do not want to underestimate.

Also known as “depressed kid”, the Russian superstar began playing professionally in 2020 when he was just 16 years old. Over the course of his career, he was a part of a few big clubs, but he’s mostly known for playing for HellRaiusers. The player achieved good results with the club, which was one of the reasons why he was spotted by 9Pandas and became the team’s mid-laner.

Unlike some of the big CIS midders, kiyotaka is known for his love for farming heroes. A lot of people associate the young star with Invoker, but he’s also known for his Ember Spirit, as well as Void Spirit.

Although this player does not have any experience at The International, 9Pandas has 2 players who have been to many TIs before – Solo and RAMZES666. Their experience will help the rest of the team cope with the pressure, so we expect kiyotaka to shine.

Matthew “Ari” Walker

The last player that we want to include here is Ari, the newest support player on the international Dota 2 scene. Despite the fact that he became a professional player in 2022, he is one of the most promising names in Dota 2. TSM was the first big club that approached the UK superstar, which means that he will have the chance to show his skill at The International 12.

Ari is a very interesting player for several reasons. Aside from being one of the youngest supports at TI 12, he’s also the first player from the UK to attend the event. Although TSM is not one of the favorites, the squad can deliver a nasty surprise, so it will be fun to see what will happen.