Hannah Marie ZT Profile - Dot Esports

In a shocking roster move, ImperialHal ended his five-year stint with North American giants TSM today to team with his rivals from DarkZero, joining Genburten and Zer0 to form an Apex Legends super team. The nicknamed “CEO” will renounce his IGL role to follow Zer0’s leadership.

TSM and DarkZero’s rosters have a fiery rivalry in the ALGS, with both teams holding three LAN titles. Until Reject Winnity’s dominant performance at the most recent Split One Playoffs, no other team had won a LAN trophy. At the crux of this rivalry was the battle of the IGLs. Although ImperialHal has long been dubbed the “CEO” for his IGL prowess, Zer0 is considered by many to be the best IGL in the game due to his intense attention to detail and strict team control. 

In the most shocking upheaval in the history of Apex Legends esports, a third of last year’s ALGS Championship lobby risks elimination in the lower bracket at today’s Split One playoffs. Reigning champs TSM finished the winner’s bracket in 17th after a sluggish performance—much to the disappointment of their home crowd.

After a turbulent round one losers bracket where scores were separated by single points, hopes for a more clear-cut winner’s leaderboard were dashed by an incomprehensibly volatile block. Several of the most dominant teams in 2023 seemed incapable of gaining any momentum, finding themselves glued to the bottom of the pack while underdog teams soared with APAC squads the biggest benefactors.

ALGS Groups kicked off with a bang for o7, topping the group CvD leaderboard after an explosive performance. In an exclusive interview with Dot Esports, o7 Naghz revealed how the team has boomed after their sensational games, including mid-block role-switching and “feeling hot.” 

The roster’s Split One Playoff experience had an unpredictable start. In game three, they were hit by a brutal game crash in the final fight, which led Gnaske and company to dramatically rush back to their PCs to secure their win. Aggression, impeccable strategy, and a hawk-like aim rewarded the team with 20 kills and first place, resulting in an astonishing 32-point game. 

The 2024 ALGS Split One Playoffs began this week, welcoming the best Apex Legends players from around the world to take the stage in Los Angeles. In a sea of talent, star players are out to defend their status or take their place in the history books. 

From the young to the experienced, here are five Apex pros you’ll want to keep your eyes on at the first playoffs of the year for their competitive prowess, concrete determination, and critical damage capabilities.

Team Falcons snatched the ESL One Birmingham trophy from upper-bracket team BetBoom in dominant fashion. Despite playing four games in the bracket stage compared to BetBoom’s one, the Falcons crushed their opponents in a 3–0 sweep—a victory coach Aui_2000 has since suggested came from widespread underperformance.

Falcons was the newest organization to compete at ESL One Birmingham. The roster only entered the Dota 2 scene last November but did so with a bang, signing several experienced players at the top of their game alongside 19-year-old Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak. Bursting with potential but having fewer opportunities to prove their worth, the Falcons have now sent a clear message to their opponents: They’re here to stay.

Despite their exit from ESL One Birmingham in the semifinals, OG enjoyed some spectacular games in front of the UK crowd. In an exclusive interview with Dot Esports, British Dota star Ari explored how the team built a stronger mentality, improved their performance, and made mistakes in a Greggs store.

Unsurprisingly, Ari was showered with love from his home crowd, an experience he described as ‘weird,’ ‘strange,’ but, ultimately, ‘fun.’ The player also expressed his delight at the relief from jet lag and long travel times. However, these benefits didn’t overshadow the intensity of the game. As Ari put it, “Once you’re in the game, it’s just the same thing. You’re just in the game… You don’t really think about winning. You don’t really think about the stakes. You just think about the game in front of you.” Debates about the home-crowd buff aside, it’s clear that despite missing their chance to take the trophy, OG and Ari have gained valuable experience. 

Following their loss to Falcons in ESL One Birmingham’s lower bracket quarterfinals, Team Liquid captain Neta “33” Shapira reflected on their tournament exit and overall performance, acknowledging that on the day, Falcons “were the better team,” but confessing he’s “pretty disappointed in ESL.”  

Team Liquid’s first match of the day against Heroic saw them progress to the quarterfinal with a 2:1 win. In his exclusive interview with Dot Esports, Neta explained that the team felt prepared for their game, with a plan for their draft and accurate expectations of their opponents. In analyzing their performance, he also expressed his comfort with Team Liquid’s dynamics, particularly in balancing each player’s unique abilities and strengths. 

As a Dota 2 player with a history intertwined with controversy, some expect Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko to be cocky or perhaps avoidant of their past relative to their future. However, as he approaches the final weekend of ESL One Birmingham, Pure is ready to shake off the old and welcome the new.

A carry for Tundra Esports in Birmingham on loan from BetBoom, Pure has played an integral part in the team’s advances through the competition. Despite his talent, he has become ensnared in controversy and criticism since he began his professional career. April 2022 saw his contract at Virtus.pro terminated for the drawing of militarist symbols in a live game, and he held personal responsibility for an instant loss handed to BetBoom in 2023 after watching his match’s livestream during a game pause. Now, he acknowledges that lessons had to be learned in order to progress. 

Many expected a structured esports league for women and other marginalized genders in competitive League of Legends after the successes of VALORANT’s Game Changers, but nothing surfaced. Team Vitality revealed this was actually in the works for League, but Riot Games has since abandoned communication on the project.

Vitality is one of several European esports organizations that have invested a lot into their women’s League of Legends rosters. Their “Rising Bees” roster currently has full-time contracts, which team captain Velouria “Viki” Baty wholeheartedly believes helps them improve in an interview with Dot Esports. However, despite giving their female League professionals more support, coaching, and access to resources, both Viki and Team Vitality Director of Esports Anne Banschbach are “frustrated” at the lack of support from Riot Games.

Following an April 1 tease from Element 6 in-game leader KSWINNIIE, the organization has been acquired by Exo Clan in a shock takeover. The E6 brand was synonymous with KSWINNIIE, but the player will now represent the Exo Clan brand, marking the end of an era in Apex Legends. 

The E6 logo has been a regular sight in the ALGS since January 2021, when the top brand was formed in Holland, found its base in Ireland, and then in October that year welcomed its iconic French captain KSWINNIIE to the team. Despite their consistent presence amongst the top-performing EMEA teams, the org was never able to win a LAN title.