Xtreme Gaming advances to the knockout stage of TI 2025

In the group stage of Dota 2 International Invitational (TI) 2025, Chinese powerhouse Xtreme Gaming became the first team to advance to the knockout stage.

Xtreme Gaming swept their compatriot team Team Tidebound 2-0 in the fourth round of qualifying, directly securing a spot in the knockout stage as the top seed in the group.

This group stage was a resurgence for Chinese teams. Xtreme swept Aurora Gaming in the first round, defeated the favored Team Spirit in the second round, and then defeated Team Falcons in the third round.

Tidebound defeated NaVi, defending champions Team Liquid, and PARIVISION in quick succession. The two Chinese teams' undefeated run culminated in a fourth-round clash.

In the first game, Xtreme established a strong mid-game rhythm. Xm's Linesark and Xxs's Undying completely suppressed the opponent, helping Ame's Anti-Mage rapidly scale. In just 36 minutes, Xtreme crushed the opponent to victory. Xm delivered impressive stats of 13/1/10, while Ame and Xxs finished the game with zero deaths.

In game two, Tidebound played tenaciously, briefly taking the lead early on. However, as they lost crucial teamfights, Xtreme gradually took control of the game. Xxs's Undying, repeatedly neutralizing the opponent's burst damage in the late game, proved decisive. After a fierce 63-minute battle, Xtreme prevailed once again, securing victory in this Chinese Civil War.

Xtreme has now advanced to the knockout stage with a perfect record of four group stage matches, dropping only two games, demonstrating their strong momentum in their pursuit of the Champions' Aegis. It's worth noting that Xtreme is currently fielding xNova-, who is currently standing in for Poloson, who is recovering due to health reasons. This achievement is all the more remarkable.

Despite the loss, Tidebound still has a chance to compete for one of the other two direct qualifying spots in Round 5, avoiding having to start from the elimination stage. The TI 2025 competition is heating up, with Xtreme already considered the biggest favorite to win the tournament.