Group Stage update from the Epic League Dota 2 Championship

The first 36 out of 45 series from the Epic League Division 1 Dota 2 Championship's group stages have concluded. All the ten participating teams are now set to battle it out in the final 3 days of the group stages.

With Valve announcing the return of the Dota Pro Circuit from January 18, the Epic League Dota 2 Championships is probably the last time that these top-tier teams are seen before diving back into the DPC.

The news of the DPC resuming has definitely spurred newfound motivation in the players. This much was clearly visible in the Dota 2 matches from the group stages.

Where teams like OG, Team Liquid, and Team Nigma got off to a slow start, teams like Vikin.GG and Team Secret hit the ground running. After 12 days and 36 series of grinding through the group stages, it is finally the business end of the tournament where nothing else will matter as long as they make it to the playoffs.

Here's what the Epic League Dota 2 Championship has in store for fans.

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Epic League Dota 2 Championship upcoming matches

Despite a major part of the group stage being over, the standings are nowhere close to suggesting the outcome for the group stages.

The current placement of teams in the Epic League Dota 2 Championships are:

1. Vikin.GG - Played 7 series, Won 6, Lost 1
2. Virtus.Pro - Played 7 series, Won 5, Lost 2
3. Team Secret - Played 7 series, Won 5, Lost 2
4. Team Nigma - Played 7 series, Won 4, Lost 3
5. OG - Played 8 series, Won 4, Lost 4
6. Natus Vincere - Played 6 series, Won 3, Lost 3
7. Team Liquid - Played 7 series, Won 3, Lost 4
8. mudgolems - Played 7 series, Won 2, Lost 5
9. Just Error - Played 8 series, Won 2, Lost 6
10. Alliance - Played 8 series, Won 2, Lost 6

With most teams still in the running for qualifying for a place in the playoffs, the final 3 days of the group stages are going to be a delight for fans.

The fixture list for the final nine series from the Group Stage is:

3rd December

1. Natus Vincere vs mudgolems
2. Team Nigma vs Vikin.GG
3. Team Secret vs Virtus.Pro

4th December

1. Team Liquid vs mudgolems
2. Natus Vincere vs Vikin.GG
3. Virtus.Pro vs Alliance

5th December

1. OG vs Just Error
2. Team Liquid vs Team Nigma
3. Team Secret vs Natus Vincere

Following these nine series, the final standings from the group stage of the Epic League Division 1 Dota 2 championships will be revealed. The bottom two teams will be dropped down to Division 2.

The playoffs are supposed to begin on December 8 and conclude on December 13 with the grand final. This means that after the conclusion of the Epic League Dota 2 Championships, players will have more than a month to prepare before the DPC officially resumes in January.