Team Aster Issues Apology to Fans Following Aster’s Failed TI12 Qualification Bid

China DPC giant Team Aster has apologized to fans after their failed TI12 qualification attempt

After their lackluster performance in the China regional qualifiers of The International 2023, Team Aster has offered an apology to its fan base. 

“That is the end of our journey this year,” the Chinese organization's tweet read. “Disappointing and we are truly sorry we let the fans down. We would like to thank you for your support this year and we hope to come back strong in the next year.”

Aster 1:2 Bright
That is the end of our journey this year. Disappointing and we are truly sorry we let the fans down. We would like to thank you for your support this year and we hope to come back strong in the next year.
Good game well played. pic.twitter.com/cX3eFSfpB9

— Team Aster (@CN_TeamAster) August 20, 2023

How did Team Aster fail to qualify for TI12?

Credit: @CN_TeamAster

Team Aster, who were among the favorites expected to move forward to the finals of The International 12 (TI12) in the China qualifier, experienced an astonishing defeat at the hands of Team Bright during the lower bracket quarterfinals. This unfortunate outcome has now eliminated Team Aster from the TI12 qualification race. 

Unfurling as a comprehensive three-game series, Bright's carry Hu “once.” Xin displayed outstanding Anti-Mage carry performances, causing disruptions in Aster's strategic implementations. Following this loss, Aster's midlaner Sumail “SumaiL” Hassan expressed his agony in a tweet, having faced failure in qualifying for TI two times in a row, marking the first instance of such a setback in his career.

Rough, hopefully heals faster than last year. 💔

— Sumail (@SumaaaaiL) August 20, 2023

Team Aster vs Team Bright: A Brief Recap 

Game 1: Team Bright Prevails In A Closely Fought Affair

Among all the games, Game 1 stood out as the most closely fought, where both teams battled on even terms for the most part. It wasn't until the late stages that Bright managed to edge ahead.

Utilizing this window of opportunity, Aster managed to secure a slight net worth lead. Bright, however,effectively countered this by securing well-timed kills using a combination of mid Ember Spirit and support Mirana.

While both teams boasted an array of items, the heroes from Bright strategically activated their BKBs and concentrated their efforts on a single target—namely Monet's Terrorblade—to secure an initial advantage and subsequently emerge victorious in the teamfight. This tactic played a pivotal role in Bright's triumph in a game that stretched to 51 minutes.

Game 2: SumaiL's Storm Spirit Prowess Levels The Series

Moving into game 2, Aster possessed a stronger draft highlighted by a pivotal final selection of Bloodseeker and SumaiL assuming his trademark role as Storm Spirit. This was against a Bright lineup that lacked significant crowd control abilities. The game's pace started off leisurely as both teams focused on farming, but Aster swiftly gained ground by capitalizing on the mobility of Storm Spirit and Legion Commander to initiate actions.

Soon after, Monet shifted his focus to Maelstrom and subsequently BKB, initiating a ruthless spree where he systematically eliminated each opposing hero in succession. His evolution from the initial teamfight involvement was staggering, propelling his team to a triumph within a 47-minute timeframe and achieving a remarkable KDA of 17-0-13.

Game 3: Team Bright Deals The Final Blow

As the third game unfolded, Bright decided to go with Anti-Mage once again, prompting Aster to counter with Phantom Assassin. Although both carries started off strongly, it was Anti-Mage who gained the upper hand owing to his outstanding performance in the lane, notably demonstrated by his skillful usage of Counterspell.

Swiftly attaining Battlefury, his net worth experienced a significant upswing. Meanwhile, despite initially prevailing against Ember Spirit in the midlane, SumaiL's midgame influence waned due to limited kill participation. The decisive moment unfolded during an immense teamfight within the Roshan pit, where Anti-Mage narrowly evaded death with a sliver of health, leading to Bright securing the Aegis and ultimately clinching triumph in just 39 minutes.