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Tundra Esports’ run at The International 2025 has ended after a 2-0 loss to South America’s Heroic in the first round of the lower bracket.

The Western European side, who only days ago knocked out defending champions Team Liquid in the Play-ins, exit TI 2025 in 7th-8th place and take home just over US$104,000. Heroic, meanwhile, secure a Top 6 finish and at least US$130,000, marking the best placement for a South American team at TI since Thunder Awaken’s run in 2022.

A Difficult Start for Tundra

Tundra’s playoff journey was tough from the outset. They dropped to the lower bracket after a 2-0 defeat to tournament favourites Xtreme Gaming on the opening day. Heroic also entered the lower bracket after being swept aside by Eastern Europe’s Parivision.

Despite being favoured heading into the series, Tundra never looked comfortable against Heroic. Game one was over in under 34 minutes, while game two dragged out to 46 minutes but ended in the same result. Heroic’s fast, risk-taking playstyle caught Tundra off guard, something Neta “33” Shapira admitted in a post-match interview.

“I think they just play a lot differently to pretty much all the top teams right now… They are always ready to take risks. We got caught off guard by it, even though we knew it was coming,” 33 said. He also apologised to fans, adding, “I know it was a disappointing end to the season for us… Sorry it had to end this way.”

The Whitemon Visa Blow

Tundra’s preparation for TI 2025 was derailed before the tournament even began. Support player Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon was unable to attend due to visa issues, forcing the team to draft in Tobias “Tobi” Buchner as a last-minute stand-in just three days before the event.

While Tobi impressed in earlier appearances for Team Liquid earlier this year, the synergy wasn’t enough at Dota 2’s biggest stage. Still, Tundra managed to get through the Play-ins and delivered a major upset by knocking out Liquid, who had entered the tournament as one of the favourites. That result only amplified the sting of their early playoff exit.

What’s Next for Tundra?

Tundra’s elimination has sparked debate among fans about whether the roster needs changes. Some point to Whitemon’s absence as the deciding factor, while others argue deeper issues were exposed, particularly the team’s struggles to hold control in the mid-to-late game.

Neta “33” Shapira praised Tobi for his contribution, saying the stand-in “played amazing,” but the overall result adds to concerns about Tundra’s declining form. Earlier this year, the team lifted multiple trophies, including BLAST Slam II & III and Fissure Playground 1, but their momentum has noticeably slowed as 2025 has gone on.

For Heroic, the dream continues. Their upset over Tundra has already written South American Dota 2 history, and with a Top 6 finish locked in, they’ll be looking to push even further when they face one of the upper bracket semifinal losers in the next round.