DreamLeague Season 25 concluded with the triumph of Team Spirit, who secured a victory over Tundra Esports in a controversial final with a score of 3:2. This victory brought the team $290,000 in prize money and 4,620 ESL Pro Tour points, strengthening their positions on the international stage.

A Final of a Lifetime

The final series was overshadowed by technical issues. The final itself began on March 2nd, but during the fourth game, when Team Spirit was leading the series 2:1, players Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov and Denis "Larl" Sigitov faced DDoS attacks, leading to their disconnection at the 18th minute of the match. The team reported a vulnerability in Steam/Dota 2 that allowed these attacks to occur. You can view the full timeline of events at this link.

After a two-hour pause and unsuccessful attempts to resume the game, the organizers decided to postpone the remainder of the series to the next day. Despite the difficulties, on March 4th, Team Spirit demonstrated resilience and skill, finishing the final series with a 3:2 victory.

Tournament Revelation

The main revelation of the tournament was the team Chimera Esports. Their path to the playoffs was filled with challenges, as the team nearly disbanded during the tournament due to internal issues. It became known during the tournament that Nikita “Panto” Balagánin would move to Aurora Gaming and was already playing the tournament from their bootcamp. And Nikita "Daxak" Kuzmin left the roster before the competition began but returned as a stand-in, allowing the team to continue competing.

Despite the difficulties, Chimera Esports showcased impressive gameplay. In the first group stage, they secured second place in Group B, only falling short to Team Spirit. In the second group stage, the team achieved victories over opponents like Team Liquid and HEROIC, securing a spot in the lower bracket of the playoffs.

This result was unexpected for many, considering the team's lack of experience and internal problems. Their success in the tournament indicates that playing relaxed can achieve a lot even amidst player disagreements.

Biggest Disappointments of the Tournament

One of the biggest disappointments was the team BetBoom Team. After a successful performance in the first group stage, they couldn't demonstrate stable gameplay in the second, finishing in fifth place and failing to reach the playoffs.

Another disappointment was Team Liquid. Despite being one of the favorites, they suffered several defeats, including a match against Chimera Esports, and finished the second group stage in seventh place, which did not allow them to continue competing in the playoffs. Overall, for the team, this tournament is already the third failure in a row; in all tournaments this year, the team has not managed to place higher than seventh.

DreamLeague Season 25 demonstrated that the Dota 2 scene is becoming increasingly competitive. New teams, like Chimera Esports, are capable of challenging recognized giants, and favorites may face unexpected difficulties. This adds intrigue and unpredictability to future tournaments, where every team will have a chance to prove themselves at the highest level.