Team Falcons have claimed their first-ever Aegis of the Immortal, taking out The International 2025 in Hamburg after a nail-biting five-game series against China’s Xtreme Gaming.

The Dota 2 spectacle, held at Barclays Arena, brought together 16 of the world’s best teams to battle for a prize pool worth over $2.7 million. In the end, Falcons walked away with just over $1.15 million and the ultimate title every Dota team dreams of.

The International 2025 Champions: @FalconsEsport 🏆

They triumph in Hamburg after a 3-2 win in the Grand Final against @xtremegamingcn #Dota2 #TI2025 pic.twitter.com/idugvhCNf4

— The International (@dota2ti) September 14, 2025

A Historic Win for Falcons

For Falcons, this win marks the peak of what has been a mixed year on the competitive stage. The squad had previously lifted the trophy at FISSURE Universe Episode 6 and made deep runs at both the Esports World Cup in Riyadh and BLAST Slam III in Copenhagen, finishing runners-up in both.

This time, they broke through. Despite finishing seventh in the group stage after early losses to Tidebound and eventual finalists Xtreme Gaming, Falcons fought their way into the playoffs. From there, they went on a redemption run, knocking out Tidebound 2-0, edging BB Team 2-1, and sealing their Grand Final spot with a hard-fought 2-1 win over PARAVISION.

Xtreme Gaming, meanwhile, clawed through the lower bracket, setting up a Grand Final showdown that fans won’t forget any time soon.

The Grand Final: Five Games of Pure Tension

The final was every bit the spectacle TI fans expect.

• Game 1: Xtreme struck first, with Ame’s Ursa tearing through Falcons and handing them a rough start.
• Game 2: Falcons fired back in dominant fashion, riding a Primal Beast-led draft to an easy win while Malr1ne’s roar on stage had the Hamburg crowd buzzing.
• Game 3: Xtreme regained the lead, capitalising on a mistake from Skiter to push themselves just one win away from the Aegis.
• Game 4: Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf shocked the venue by pulling out an Ursa pick from the offlane, a gamble that paid off as Falcons crushed Xtreme 15-4 in just 33 minutes.
• Game 5: Everything came down to one last game. Xtreme opted for Juggernaut to counter Falcons’ Medusa, but with Sneyking’s Naga Siren slipping through the bans, the Chinese squad couldn’t keep up. After nearly an hour of back-and-forth, Falcons finally broke high ground and secured the win.

When the final “gg” was called, the crowd erupted as Falcons lifted the Aegis for the very first time.

Key Players and Stories

The championship run carried special meaning for several members of the team. Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf, only 20 years old, played a pivotal role in his debut TI victory. For Oliver “skiter” Lepko and Jingjun “Sneyking” Wu, it was their second time lifting the Aegis, adding to already impressive careers. Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen finally broke through after nine attempts, claiming his first TI crown.

On the other side, heartbreak struck once again for Wang “Ame” Chunyu. The veteran Chinese carry has now fallen short in three TI Grand Finals (2018, 2021, and now 2025), cementing his reputation as one of the game’s greatest players never to win the title.

3 TI Grand Finals. 3 Five Game Series. 3 Times Losing To Magnus. Stuff of nightmares. #TI14 #Dota2 pic.twitter.com/vHUpy9OkP1

— Wykrhm Reddy (@wykrhm) September 14, 2025

Adding another milestone, coach Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling became the first person to win The International both as a player and twice as a coach.

Looking Ahead

For Falcons, this win is more than just a trophy. It’s a statement that the squad is ready to cement itself among Dota 2’s elite. After closing out the 2025 season with the Aegis in hand, all eyes will be on whether they can keep this momentum heading into 2026, when the next International heads to Shanghai.

As for Ame and Chinese Dota, the wait continues. Since PSG.LGD’s near misses in 2018 and 2021, the Aegis has remained out of reach, and with another heartbreaking 3-2 loss, the so-called “Chinese TI curse” lives on for at least another year.

But for now, 2025 belongs to Falcons.

The post Team Falcons Crowned Champions at The International 2025 After Epic Five-Game Final appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Valve has officially revealed the opening fixtures for The International 2025, Dota 2’s season-ending esports tournament. Kicking off on Thursday, September 4th, 16 teams from around the world will battle it out in Hamburg, Germany, for the Aegis of Champions and a shot at glory.

Defending champions return

One of the biggest storylines heading into this year’s competition is the return of Team Liquid. After sweeping Gaimin Gladiators 3-0 in last year’s final, the defending champions will begin their title defence against BOOM Esports, who secured their spot through the Southeast Asian qualifiers.

Team Liquid are the Grand Champions of The International 2024. Congratulations. #TI13 #Dota2 pic.twitter.com/CC8KQlG4A6

— Wykrhm Reddy (@wykrhm) September 15, 2024

Joining Team Liquid among the favourites are Team Spirit, fresh from their Esports World Cup victory, Team Falcons, BetBoom, and PARIVISION. All eyes will be on these invited teams, with many fans and Dota 2 betting enthusiasts tipping them as strong contenders.

Notable opening matches

The International always kicks off with some exciting clashes, and this year is no exception. Here are some of the must-watch fixtures on September 4th (times BST):

• Aurora Gaming vs Xtreme Gaming (Stream A, 11am)
• Team Spirit vs Wildcard (Stream B, 11am)
• Team Falcons vs Team Nemesis (Stream C, 11am)
• Tundra Esports vs Yakutou Brothers (Stream D, 11am)
• PARIVISION vs HEROIC (Stream A, 2pm)
• Team Liquid vs BOOM Esports (Stream B, 2pm)
• BetBoom vs Nigma Galaxy (Stream C, 2pm)
• Team Tidebound vs NAVI Jr (Stream D, 2pm)

For Team Spirit, their opener against Wildcard marks another test after the North American side’s impressive third-place finish at European Pro League Season 28. Meanwhile, Team Falcons, who narrowly missed out on lifting the Esports World Cup on home soil, will face Team Nemesis, a squad with two Southeast Asian qualifier victories under its belt.

Fans will also keep a close eye on NAVI Jr as they take on Team Tidebound, one of three Chinese teams at the tournament. Tidebound enter with momentum after winning Clavision Masters 2025: Snow-Ruyi.

The Road to The International 2025 kicks off with Round 1 in Hamburg on September 4! Here are the tournament’s opening matchups on 4 streams.

Check the Format: https://t.co/aSUngBbOfb … and the Rules: https://t.co/o0NwPROgFB#Dota2 #TI2025 pic.twitter.com/Yvsp7tKFH7

— The International (@dota2ti) September 2, 2025

Late twists before The International 2025

In true Dota 2 fashion, the build-up to TI hasn’t been without surprises. Just days before the opening matches, Tundra Esports confirmed that Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon would not be able to compete due to visa issues. The Indonesian support player expressed his disappointment in a heartfelt video, calling it “heart-breaking to miss the biggest event of the year.”

Adding to the drama, last year’s runners-up Gaimin Gladiators officially withdrew from the competition in late August. Co-founder Nick Cuccovillo revealed that contractual disputes between the players and the organisation made it impossible for the team to participate. Their spot was filled by Yakutou Brothers, who now have the daunting task of facing Tundra Esports in their debut.

Format of The International 2025

This year’s TI will once again feature a Group Stage followed by the Playoffs.

• Group Stage (Sept 4 onwards): All 16 teams will compete in a Swiss system. Opponents are determined by win-loss records.
• Advancement: The top three teams from the Group Stage move straight to the Playoffs. Teams finishing 4th to 13th will enter an elimination round, where five more spots in the Playoffs are up for grabs.
• Playoffs: The eight qualified teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket to crown the champion.

A stage set for history

With defending champions Team Liquid aiming to go back-to-back, Team Spirit chasing a third TI title, and new challengers like Team Nemesis and Yakutou Brothers eager to prove themselves, The International 2025 promises another unforgettable chapter in Dota 2 history.

Hamburg is about to host the world’s best teams, and fans are ready for weeks of high-level Dota, dramatic storylines, and perhaps a few more surprises along the way.

The post The International 2025: Opening Fixtures, Format, and Late Drama appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The International 2025 just got a shake-up. With only days to go before Dota 2’s biggest tournament kicks off in Hamburg, Germany, Gaimin Gladiators have officially withdrawn from the event, and their replacement has now been confirmed, China’s Yakutou Brothers.

The news was announced through the official The International X account, confirming that Yakutou Brothers, sometimes referred to as “Yakult Brothers,” will be stepping into the slot. They now join Xtreme Gaming and Team Tidebound as the third Chinese team in the 16-squad line-up.

An update regarding our previous announcement. pic.twitter.com/vSCp6WELHc

— The International (@dota2ti) August 27, 2025

Why Yakutou Brothers?

The change comes after Gaimin Gladiators, one of the directly invited teams, suddenly pulled out. While details are still murky, GG players and management are pointing fingers at each other and even heading towards a legal dispute, what’s clear is that their absence left a big hole in the competition.

Speculation had been swirling that OG Esports, who finished third in the Western Europe qualifier, might be tapped for the spot. But Valve instead looked East, and Yakutou Brothers got the nod. According to esports analyst Noxville, they were one of the highest-rated squads left standing by Glicko rankings, sitting just behind Shopify Rebellion before the latter disbanded earlier this year.

Wild that the Gaimin team aren’t going to be at The International!

Who will replace them probably boils down to visa access more than anything – but a good case could be made for a few teams: based on current skill, as well as how close they were to qualify themselves. pic.twitter.com/9R6Z6p39Vj

— Ben Steenhuisen (@Noxville) August 23, 2025

It’s not entirely out of nowhere either. Yakutou Brothers narrowly missed out on qualifying directly, finishing runners-up to Xtreme Gaming in the Chinese regional qualifier. They’ve also made deep runs in several events this season, including a top-six finish at BLAST Slam II, top-six at DreamLeague Season 26, and a silver medal finish at ACL x ESL Challenger China.

The Yakutou Brothers Roster for TI2025

The squad heading to Hamburg is:

• Jin “flyfly” Zhiyi
• Zhou “Emo” Yi
• Xiang “Beyond” Zhenghong
• Ye “BoBoKa” Zhibiao
• Chan “Oli~” Chon Kien

This roster isn’t short on experience. Flyfly, Emo, and Oli previously played together under Invictus Gaming, where they secured a fourth-place finish at The International 2021. BoBoKa also reached the top four with Team Aster in 2022, while Beyond took part in TI2024 with Team Zero, making it to the top 16.

What It Means for The International 2025

For fans, it means we now have three Chinese representatives at this year’s event, and with Yakutou Brothers’ gritty track record, they could easily play spoiler in Hamburg.

It also adds another layer to an already dramatic build-up. Gaimin Gladiators’ withdrawal is still the biggest talking point heading into the tournament, but with Yakutou Brothers stepping in, the focus can finally turn back to the games.

The International 2025 kicks off on September 4th, and the Yakutou Brothers will be chasing the ultimate prize in Dota 2, the Aegis of Champions. Whether they can pull off a dream run remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: they’ve already turned heads before even stepping on stage.

The post Yakutou Brothers Replace Gaimin Gladiators at The International 2025 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The final stop before Dota 2’s biggest stage, The International 2025, has wrapped up, and it’s Team Falcons standing tall. The Western European squad dismantled Team Spirit 3-0 in the grand final of FISSURE Universe Episode 6, bagging the title, US$125,000 in prize money, and, perhaps most importantly, revenge.

🔥 Team Falcons — Champions of FISSURE Universe: Episode 6!

They defeated Team Spirit with a score of 3:0. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/1JLvrgrIzX

— FISSURE_ENG (@fissure_eng) August 24, 2025

This wasn’t just another tournament win. It was a full-circle redemption arc. Just over a month ago, Falcons had their hearts broken by Spirit at the Esports World Cup 2025, falling in a brutal 0-3 sweep. This time around, Falcons flipped the script, sweeping Spirit in identical fashion to claim the last tier-one trophy before TI14 in Hamburg.

🏆 YOUR #EWC DOTA 2 CHAMPIONS ARE @TSpirit_Dota2! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/rVrWwHqR94

— EWC Extra (@EWC_Extra) July 19, 2025

Game by game: Falcons’ dominance

Game 1 – Troll Warlord takes flight
The opener set the tone right from the draft. Spirit threw a curveball by slotting Marat “Mirele” Gazetdinov on midlane Slardar, filling in for Denis “Larl” Sigitov who’s recovering from surgery. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite land. Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak’s Sand King outclassed him, giving Falcons the early edge.

Spirit fought back with trademark resilience, even clawing back a 7,000-gold deficit to even things up. But Oliver “Skiter” Lepko’s Troll Warlord proved unstoppable once he got his items. With Black King Bar and Linken’s Sphere in hand, Skiter shredded Spirit’s defences, forcing the tap-out before the 50-minute mark.

Game 2 – Malr1ne and ATF show up big
The second map was tight for the first 20 minutes until Malr1ne’s Nature’s Prophet took over. Constant ganks and map pressure saw him rack up 14 kills without a single death, swinging momentum firmly towards Falcons.

Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf then sealed the deal on his signature Mars, dictating teamfights and leaving Spirit with no way back. Jing “Sneyking” Wu also shone on Pugna, providing clutch support that tilted the long midgame in Falcons’ favour.

Game 3 – Bristleback brilliance
The closer was all Falcons. ATF pulled out Bristleback, a hero largely ignored in the current meta, and made it look broken. Spirit’s Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk had Morphling, but the hero needs time — and Falcons simply didn’t give it. Once again, ATF proved why he’s considered the best Bristleback player in pro Dota, bulldozing Spirit in under 30 minutes.

Revenge, redemption, and timing

This victory carried more weight than just silverware. It snapped Spirit’s monstrous 10-series win streak and served as poetic justice for Falcons after their painful Riyadh loss.

It also couldn’t have come at a better time. Falcons’ form earlier in the year was shaky, bottoming out at 9th–11th at PGL Wallachia Season 4. Their runner-up finish at EWC hinted at a resurgence, and now, with their first tournament win of 2025, Falcons have hit peak form just 10 days before The International kicks off in Hamburg, Germany.

Their roster, Skiter, Malr1ne, ATF, Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen, and Sneyking, has always had pedigree, but consistency was the missing piece. With momentum now firmly on their side, Falcons have cemented themselves as one of the scariest teams heading into TI.

What’s next

TI14 runs from 4–14 September with a growing prize pool already at US$2 million, boosted by Supporter’s Club bundles. The field is stacked with 16 of the world’s best teams, though it’s worth noting that Gaimin Gladiators withdrew after internal conflicts, leaving the door even more open.

Team Spirit will regroup, they’re still two-time TI champions and never out of the picture. But for now, it’s all about Team Falcons, who’ve found their wings at the perfect moment.

The post Team Falcons Sweep Team Spirit 3-0 to Win Dota 2 FISSURE Universe Episode 6 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.