'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Evil Geniuses (EG) were one of the biggest Dota 2 contenders to win TI 10, next only to PSG.LGD.
It was, therefore, a shock for EG fans when the team got eliminated by Vici Gaming off the lower brackets on the second day of the TI 10 main stage. EG parted TI 10 with the other NA Dota, two teams, in a 9th-12th place standing, and $800,400 prize money.
A 9th-12th place finish is a disappointing show from a team of EG's caliber. Like their star carry player, Artour "Arteezy" Babaev, their offlaner Daryl Koh "iceiceice" Pei Xiang also fell prey to a few uncharacteristic misplays and overall underwhelming performances.
Barring TI 7, iceicieice is one of the few Dota 2 players to qualify for every International
In an interview conducted on the 6th day of the TI 10 main stage, iceiceice expressed that he might consider retirement from the pro scene shortly.
At 31, iceiceice is a veteran player who has attended every TI, like Clement "Puppey" Ivanov. The one exception is TI 7, where Team Faceless, his Singaporean team, failed to qualify. The closest iceiceice got to the aegis was his third-place finish with Scythe.SG in the very first one.
Even if he never got to the TI finals, iceiceice's credentials as one of the most versatile Dota 2 players are beyond dispute. He has played the original DoTA, StarCraft II, Heroes of Newerth, and League of Legends competitively before his Dota 2 journey in his long esports career. This journey has seen iceiceice represent seven separate teams in 9 Internationals.
The most significant part was his stint with Chinese Dota 2 teams before returning to the SEA with Mineski and Fnatic. His move to Evil Geniuses in 2020 was a surprise change. Among other reasons he cited, there was a need to compete outside of his home soil and get a better shot at TI with arguably one of the best Dota 2 teams in the world.
However, EG's trajectory at TI 10 after a superb run through the DPC 2021 would sting as a sore disappointment to a nine-time unproven TI veteran. Several EG followers questioned Kanishka "BuLba" Sosale's predictable drafting choice, which left iceiceice and "Abed" Asel Yusop contained in a minimal hero pool.
Like OG's Topias "Topson" Taavitseinen, iceiceice is also a married man who has to invest his attention in his family. The hectic nature of competitive Dota 2 often leaves one with little family time. Although nothing is decisive yet, iceiciece's exit from pro Dota 2 would not be surprising in this light.
