Gamers8, the biggest esports and gaming event worldwide, saw PSG.LGD claim the inaugural Dota 2 Riyadh Masters crown on Sunday night with an exhilarating 2-0 victory over Team Spirit in the grand finale in the Saudi Arabian capital.
A sellout crowd within Boulevard Riyadh City’s spectacular Esports Arena watched on as the Chinese side defeated the Russian outfit to collect the $1.5m first prize and bring the unforgettable and widely acclaimed five-day competition to a pulsating close.
Faisal bin Homran, Head of Esports at the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “The spectacular success of the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters tournament encapsulates everything we wanted to achieve with Gamers8 when we brought this special and unique event to Riyadh. The player and fan experience has been exceptional, as has the quality of gaming on display from start to finish.
“This is just the beginning of this incredible tournament, and I can assure everyone that next year will be even bigger and better. Our plans include a yearly qualification period from across the gaming regions, with the finals set for a dramatic culmination in Riyadh.”
The fifth and final day of Dota 2 Riyadh Masters began with two captivating semi-finals. The newly crowned champions sealed their final spot with a 2-1 win over OG, while defeated finalists Team Spirit secured their participation in the showpiece occasion with a 2-1 victory over Team Secret.
PSG.LGD then went on to claim glory in dramatic fashion in front of the capacity attendance and global online audience of hundreds of thousands tuning in on official Gamers8 channels. A superb team performance forced Team Spirit to settle for runners-up and the $750,000 second place prize at the biggest esports and gaming event worldwide.
In the aftermath of their stunning final triumph, PSG.LGD No.99 XinQ said: “We are very excited to win the Riyadh Masters, this is a special moment for us all. Hearing the cheers from the audience was wonderful. We are thrilled to be a part of, and win, the Riyadh Masters.”
Asked what it meant to claim the $1.5m prize, XinQ replied: “We are delighted but it is not just about winning such a huge prize. It is about the feeling of conquering and beating other teams – that feeling is better than the money.”
Collectively praising the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters as “a great tournament” and adding how much they enjoyed their time in Saudi Arabia, PSG.LGD No.10 Faith_bian had a special message for young players in the Kingdom who dream of following in their footsteps. Faith_bian said: “We felt just how much they loved esports and Dota 2. Hopefully one day they can join us, be like us and be proud of their achievements.”
Dota 2 Riyadh Masters at Gamers8 recap
In the group stage fixtures, Group A champions OG earned their place in the semi-final with 2-0 victories over TSM and Team Liquid, plus 1-1 draws versus Royal Never Give Up and Nigma Galaxy. Royal Never Give Up, who finished second to earn a berth in the quarterfinals, beat TSM 2-0 and drew 1-1 in their other fixtures. Nigma Galaxy, who achieved exactly the same scores, claimed third spot in Group A and a place in the quarters.
Group B saw Team Secret top the standings with 2-0 wins over PSG.LGD, Tundra Esports and Saudi Arabian side Deboosters, as well as a 1-1 draw with Team Spirit. Second-placed PSG.LGD earned their spot in the quarterfinals by defeating each of Team Spirit, Tundra Esports and Deboosters 2-0 to compensate for their loss to the group winners. Team Spirit came third and claimed a spot in the knockout stages thanks to their 2-0 wins over Tundra Esports and Deboosters to accompany the 1-1 tie versus Team Secret and 2-0 loss to PSG.LGD.
In action packed quarterfinal clashes, PSG.LGD claimed the scalp of Nigma Galaxy 2-1, while Team Spirit did likewise to Royal Never Give Up by the same score. The nail-biting semi-final matches saw PSG.LGD oust OG 2-1, while a solitary strike for Team Secret was enough to fend off Team Spirit. This set up a superb tussle in the final which resulted in PSG.LGD walking triumphantly away with the lucrative $1.5m top prize.
The Dota 2 Riyadh Masters prize pool distribution was as follows:
1 $1.5m
2 $750,000
3-4 $425,000
5-6 $200,000
7-8 $150,000
9-10 $100,000
More information on Gamers8, including details of upcoming competitions and big-name concerts, is available on the event website. Gamers8 runs daily until September 8.
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