As the first two teams to qualify for Berlin Major 2023, Team SMG and Talon Esports are looking viciously powerful. For starters, both teams won at least five series, which is a feat in Dota Pro Circuit 2023 (DPC 2023).

One can argue it’s an unsightly result, considering the state of Southeast Asia’s competitive scene, as all Lima Major candidates were struggling.

Image source: Team SMG

It’s Team SMG’s first Major since their formation back in the year 2021. For the uninitiated, fans initially had high hopes for the all-star squad, featuring high-profile players. That includes Tue “ah fu” Soon Chuan, Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng, and Kam “Moon” Boon Seng, who has participated in multiple The International Championships.

It’s mainly the founding players of team SMG, who stuck through thick-and-thin, that finally get rewarded with attendance at the Berlin Major 2023.

Bragging aside, SMG fans are slightly pessimistic about SMG’s recent success. Considering they have top-notch players that should have made qualifying for majors, let alone TI Championships, relatively easy, SMG has its fair share of ups and downs.

They have to make this major count.

Talon Esports is arguably the bigger player from SEA as this is their second time participating in a Major, and already debuted in TI11 last year. Despite the letdown at TI11, Talon persevered and became a force to be reckoned with at Lima Major.

They overwhelmed favorites and did it in classic lower bracket run fashion, earning themselves the recognition they deserve today. As such, their performance remained impeccable at the second Tour of DPC 2023 SEA, where they have not lost a single match.

Although SMG did give Talon a run for their money, Talon did not hesitate to showcase their fast-paced Dota to eventually dominate SMG.

SEA teams hold a cherishing place in many fans’ hearts now. We even expect SMG to perform close, if not, surpass their regional rival at the Berlin Major.

There is still one remaining SEA slot at Berlin Major that is vacant.

At this point, the fight is between Army Geniuses, Execration, Blacklist International, and even Bleed Esports. AG and Execration are in favor to qualify on paper since they have higher scores on the scoreboard.

However, it’s too early to count out Blacklist and Bleed, which still has three series to leverage their current standings. If anything, we can likely expect a tiebreaker if Blacklist and Bleed proved to be formidable opponents. Whereas a tiebreaker for third place, including AG and Execration, is pretty much guaranteed.

The second Tour of SEA DPC 2023 isn’t without fault, as Geek Slate, formerly a contestant at Lima Major, is on the brim of demotion. This is a massive upset, considering how close they were at Lima Major to advance into Playoffs.

On the Brightside, if AG qualifies as the third SEA team, that will be a win for Indonesian fans.