The Pinnacle Cup in Dota 2 is the first of four-tournament series that sums up to $200,000 in winnings and a Malta-based bootcamp. For the participants, the week-long bootcamp in Malta also spots an enticing 5-star InterContinental hotel staycation.

Organized by Pinnacle and Eden Esports, its an evolution of the Malta Vibes Series of events, and a fun take on Dota 2 tournaments. If anything, it’s baffling to consider how the Pinnacle Cup gathered forty teams to participate in a $50,000 prize pool.

The Pinnacle Cup: Malta Vibes #1

For a tournament of such caliber, the Pinnacle Cup consists of single-elimination format as Playoffs, where matches are best-of-three. Except for the best-of-five grand final, every match still feels demanding and fair to decide the winning team for advancement.

Going into the Playoffs format, Rounds 1 and 2 gathered thirty-two teams, with several notable teams from the Dota Pro Circuit.

From the more recognizable names we had: Alliance, Balrogs, cybercats, D2 Hustlers, IVY, Into The Breach, Ancient Tribe, NAVI Junior, Sigma.YNT, No Sorry, UALEIKUMNIHAO, and The Oversight. Several teams that are from the prominent Division 1 bracket of DPC 2023 also competed in Pinnacle Cup, such as Darkside, Team DogChamp, and Monaspa.

Round 3 is where even more familiar teams come in, the likes of: BetBoom Team, ex-HellRaisers, OG, Old G, Natus Vincere, One Move, Quest Esports (aka Ooredoo Thunders), and Virtus.pro.

\u00a9 Pinnacle

As of today, the Pinnacle Cup has reached its Quarterfinals phase, where only eight teams remain. After the clash of powerhouses in Round 3, D2 Hustlers, Natus Vincere, Into The Breach, ex-HellRaisers, Old G, OG, Monaspa, and Virtus.pro are the top eight teams.

Most teams performed as anticipated, except for BetBoom, who fell out after losing to Monaspa. It’s never a good look for a qualified Berlin Major candidate, but certainly more to expect in the Quarterfinals regardless.

Notably, we have Old G vs ex-HellRaisers, which is a must-watch for OG fans. Ex-HellRaisers is the DPC 2023 Eastern Europe Tour 2 winner, and will be competing at Berlin Major. It’s a good glimpse into how far Old G has improved itself. After all, Old G has its eyes set on the Division 1 of the toughest region and eventually the Major.

Another dream match-up is Old G and team OG, a clash between old-school vs young blood. However, that would require OG to defeat Virtus.pro in the Quarterfinals first. This would indeed be a highly-anticipated match as the two European rivals compete to prove which European region is tougher.

In hindsight, quarterfinals at the Pinnacle Cup Malta Vibes #1 will surely be thrilling. Competition gets harsh at this stage, thanks to the strategic Playoffs arrangement. We may get to witness legendary matchups much earlier than when Old G eventually reaches the Division 1 bracket after their own Division 2 run.

Of course, having several Berlin Major participants in the competition also spices the Pinnacle Cup Malta Vibes #1 predictions later.