HEROIC emerged victorious at DraculaN Season 5, defeating the newly assembled 100 Thieves roster 2-1 in the grand final to claim the Romanian event's $7,500 top prize. The result capped a dominant run through the tournament for the international side.
The grand final was competitive: 100 Thieves took the first map, Inferno, 13-10, but HEROIC responded with back-to-back wins on Nuke (13-10) and Ancient (13-9) to secure the series and the trophy.
HEROIC advanced to the final via the upper bracket, disposing of every opponent they faced without surrendering a single map prior to the grand final. Their run demonstrated cohesion even as the team continues to operate without their AWPer, Alimzhan “Alkaren” Bitimbay.
Match-by-match, HEROIC's results at the event were: on 25 February 2026 they beat INFINITE 2-0; on 26 February 2026 they beat ASTRAL 2-0 and later that day defeated CYBERSHOKE 2-0; on 27 February 2026 they beat FlyQuest 2-0; and on 28 February 2026 they overcame 100 Thieves 2-1 in the final.
The victory offers HEROIC a timely bounce-back after a disappointing 12–14th place showing at PGL Cluj-Napoca, proving the roster can perform strongly even while missing a regular lineup member.
The tournament also produced measurable shifts in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). HEROIC moved up from #28 to #15 globally following their DraculaN triumph, a rise that improves their chances for direct invites to upcoming events such as PGL Astana and FISSURE Playground 3 as the March 2 invitation deadline approaches.
HEROIC will have little time to rest: they are set to begin ESL Pro League Season 23 shortly, opening the competition against NRG in their next scheduled match.
Other teams benefited in the VRS as well. 100 Thieves, who entered the tournament without a VRS placement, climbed onto the table and finished the event at #32 worldwide. Separately, Eternal Fire enjoyed a large jump, moving up 86 positions to land at #76.
While DraculaN Season 5 was a relatively modest event in terms of prize money, its impact on regional standings and team momentum was significant. For HEROIC, the title represents both a confidence boost and a concrete improvement in their competitive positioning ahead of a busy calendar of higher-profile tournaments.