Why did Pandemic pick up DotA instead of much newer games such as CoD2 and or Source that are already CPL bound?

Team Pandemic is looking to push e-sports to a level that it hasn't seen yet in a team based environment. DotA is the future of RTS team based gameplay and we'd love to be at the forefront of this revolution. After doing some preliminary research on the size and stature of the community, we instantly started looking for a team.

Pandemic-dolven: CoD2 and Source are CPL bound, but CPL is only one piece of the puzzle and honestly neither of those games provide anything to Team Pandemic in the grand scheme of our operation.

Fachh, how has this sponsorship changed your team and your overall vision of professional gaming?

Pandemic-Fachh: Our team has become more motivated than ever now that we have been sponsored, and we will do our best to make Pandemic proud.
As for my overall vision of gaming, I never thought I was good enough to become a professional gamer but being sponsored has really opened my eyes to the opportunities on the internet.

For potential teams out there looking for a sponsor, what do you look for in a team when deciding to pick them up?

Pandemic-dolven: When I'm looking for a team, especially in new territory like this one, I look for three things. The first is whether or not they are mature enough that I can trust them with all of the hard work everyone involved has already given to Team Pandemic. The second thing is if they are successful enough to represent us. The third thing I look for is if they are willing to help their community improve.
ADA had some renowned players which had helped in the growth of the community. Now, we’re going to continue to develop the community with our new community site in the next month. The DotA team has a huge reputation to fufill within the gaming community, but I'm confident that these are the right guys for that job.

Fachh, what did you do to stand out and support the community?

Pandemic-Fachh: Well, as a DotA player since the RoC days I have always thought that DotA was a unique game that the masses could enjoy. I feel the most important thing to push DotA as a competitive e-sport is to have a mature and representable community. Our clan only recently became involved on the forums to promote ourselves for sponsorship. In game we have always been willing to give tips, if we feel that the player is really trying to learn. Recently we have been uploading many of our replays on the forums and surprisingly they have been a big hit

What is Pandemic's next step to promote DotA to a professional game like Counter-Strike has become?

Pandemic-dolven: Well, this may seem like Pandemic propaganda but it's not. We are looking to help push DotA through our community site that we're releasing and also the upcoming lessons systems where our players will be in a position to teach lesser players the ways of the pros. We will also be able to give the team more exposure than they would be able to generate on their own. I'd like to see us be a huge part in making the competitive settings more refined and also be a big part of the development of improving DotA as a spectator solution. I'm excited to see the possibility of the WaaaghTV system and DotA.

Fachh, what one change or addition would you tell Icefrog to put in immediately to increase the competitiveness and fun in DotA?

Pandemic-Fachh: If you ask me, Icefrog is doing a damn fine job of balancing out DotA. As for immediately increasing the fun and competition I would say that allowing spectators through WaaaaghTV would be the best step. The immediate balancing change I would recommend would be the abilities of the neutral creeps. A Chen that has a satyr and a centaur gains a 20% movement speed aura and a 4 hp a second regeneration aura. These auras can be gained as early as level 5 for Chen whereas to get the same effects through items would cost upwards of 3000 gold. Not to mention the fact that the movespeed bonus given by BoT or Sange and Yasha are not auras.

I believe WCG and ESWC will be the first tournements to pick up DotA. Dolven, what are your plans for Pandemic to compete in WCG/ESWC? Fachh, as the only Canadian on Pandemic, do you plan to compete for a Canadian team?

Pandemic-dolven:
My plans to compete at WCG are to support Larry in whatever decision he makes. The nationality conflict will be addressed when the time comes that WCG announces their intentions with DotA. I don't think that WCG will pick up DotA at the World level quite yet, but they already had local WCG events pick it up. I am unsure of the rules there, but I wouldn't be surprised to see multi-national teams allowed to compete at the small local events. That would be a great question for someone from Singapore. I know their local WCG qualifier had DotA as a side game for 2005.

Pandemic-Fachh: I plan to compete with my current clan members as we have been together through thick and thin. Clan ADA has gone through too many hardships to fall apart just because of nationality. As for being the only Canadian, we are missing one starter who had her harddrive die. She is also Canadian Asian :). Not to mention Tovah who is still very capable of becoming a starter as well.

In terms of Subway Sandwiches, describe the teams you feel will be competition this season.

Pandemic-Fachh: I am only beginning to wonder what Esca is on for forcing me to answer this question but here we go. In terms of sandwiches, I would say that Clan Complexity and Clan Apex are the triple meat meatball subs that are difficult to conquer. I would also like to add I routinely buy a triple meat meatball sub on toonie Tuesdays. We are also keeping our eyes open for clans like WaC and VaC who are causing a stir in the community like a Tuna with lots of horseradish sub. Our most important goal is to stay focused and humble throughout the season as we are often known for being overly arrogant.

Predict the Top 5 DotA teams on East and tell us why you'd rank them so high.

Pandemic-Fachh: The top 5 DotA teams on US East and West right now in my mind are clan APEX, Complexity, WaC, Vac, and ourselves in no particular order. Clan APEX and Complexity have been playing together a long time and have developed great chemistry and synergy with each other. This along with very good microing skills makes them stand out in the Dota community. I have noticed great improvements in clan WaC and VaC in terms of great unspoken chemistry, execution and lane management so I will make sure Pandemic does not underestimate them.

Shoutouts?

First of all we'd like to thank Subway and Aim2game.com for their continued support of Team Pandemic. Second, we'd like to shoutout to greenwood, my DotA prodigy. Not to mention all of our clan members that make DotA as fun as it is.