TI Dota 2 — the phenomenon of the most successful tournament

The International Dota 2 event has become a worldwide phenomenon. The most profitable eSports tournament is making a comeback to live events. Let’s remember where it all started and how it managed to reach a price pool of over $ 40 million.

The International 11 started on May 12. The grand finale is approaching. The Hover Arena in Stockholm is set to host guests on May 20–22. This is the first live event on a global scale for Dota 2 fans after the global lockdown. So we are all looking forward to it. Have you already bought tickets for IT 1?

The idea of holding the first TI Dota 2

The first Dota 2 eSports tournament took place in August 2011. Valve has invited 16 teams of experienced gamers for a vivid presentation of the new game to a wide audience. Players were given access to the beta version of the game a few months before the event. First, there was a tournament with a prize fund of $ 1,6 million and then Dota 2 entered the market. It was a classic example of successful marketing.

The winner of the first The International was the Ukrainian team Na’Vi. The grand final took place in Cologne, Germany. This was just the beginning of the history of the great Dota 2 tournament. According to expert Tammy Tang: “It felt like the start of something big — a revolution”.

Valve has made a documentary about the iconic first TI “Free to Play” tournament.

The success of crowdfunding in eSports

The International has become an annual world tournament. Since 2013, the organizers have launched a crowdfunding model of prize fund financing. Fans were able to purchase a Compendium combat pass and support their favorite teams financially. This raised the largest prize fund in the history of eSports at the time $ 2.8 million. In 2013, The International garnered more than a million simultaneous views through platforms such as Twitch.

Of course, this was the moment when eSports reached a new level. The statistics of prize funds in the following years confirm this statement. The prize pool is constantly growing and has already reached over $ 40 million.

Winners of The International Dota 2

The precondition for the success of the tournament was the incredible commitment of the first Dota players. As commentator Su-Leo Liu said: “Dota is a combination of football — soccer for Americans — and chess.” These guys were the first to live the game for the sake of the game. It all started with them. Valve invited prominent gamers from all over the world to the first tournament of The International at its discretion.

The situation has changed with the wild growth of the prize fund. Now gamers have to fight for the right to participate in the big world tournament. First, the teams go through a series of qualifying tournaments called Dota Pro Circuit (DPC). As a result, a list of 12 teams is formed. In addition, there are annual playoffs for the regions, which give 6 more teams.

List of regions:

• Eastern Europe;
• Western Europe;
• China;
• Northeast Asia;
• North America;
• South America.

As a result of qualifying and regional tournaments, a list of 18 participating teams is formed. The International takes place in several stages. The winners of the stages meet in the grand finale, where the best team in the world with Dota 2 is determined. The final fights take place with the stormy support of the public and with media coverage. The International is an event that needs to be live.

Take a look at the list of winners of past live TI tournaments

• Na’Vi (Ukraine) — 2011;
• Invictus Gaming (China) — 2012;
• Alliance (Sweden) — 2013;
• Newbee (China) — 2014;
• Evil Geniuses (USA) — 2015;
• Wing Gaming (China) — 2016;
• Team Liquid (multi-regional European team) — 2017;
• OG (multi-regional European team) — 2018, 2019.

The tournaments took place in Europe, America, and Asia. A successful marketing move has grown into a global event. The International has taken not only Dota 2 but the entire eSports industry to the next level.

Today’s challenges for The International

The world is changing. Global processes affect all industries, reflecting the mood of the world community. International events have faced challenges that cannot be overcome. The eSports industry also has to change and make important decisions on the go.

A complete lockdown due to a pandemic

The pandemic was a major challenge for the tournament. The organizers had to postpone TI 10 several times. Finally, it was held in 2021 online. Although the prize pool has grown to a record $ 40 million, fans have not received the desired effect of live support from favorite teams. Therefore, everyone was looking forward to the live broadcast of the final TI 11. The event will finally take place this weekend. Follow the daily schedule so you don’t miss the show.

The war in Ukraine

Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine has caused terrible problems in Eastern Europe and around the world. On security issues, the organizers canceled the participation of Eastern European teams in TI 11. However, later the opinion changed and some teams joined the tournament. Russian teams continue to participate in the tournament. Against the background of the refusal of well-known world brands to work with the Russians, this is a rather strange position. The legendary Ukrainian team Na’Vi from the first days of the invasion officially announced the termination of the partnership with the Russians. The eSports industry in general and the organizers of international events, in particular, would do well to reconsider their perception of the Eastern European region.

The future of international eSports tournaments

Reaching a new level together with the modern challenges of eSports brings both great opportunities and great challenges. The anticipation of Dota 2 fans of The International has shown the importance of events. The public votes for live tournaments with their own money.

The audience coverage is growing. The eSports for teenagers is growing into a big business with millions of viewers. The audience is growing and diversifying. This fact should also be considered.

We are waiting for changes in the field of eSports soon and are closely following the tournament The International this weekend. Wish vivid impressions of the event to all fans.