DOTA 2 – The International 11

The DOTA 2 International is comparatively the “grand final” for the DOTA 2 competitive scene. It’s long been based in America or Europe (time zones which suck for Australians). I’m based in Perth, and I remember going to the only casino in town to watch it on the big screen. Don’t get me wrong, I loved that it was on the big screen showing at a major venue, but the finals didn’t start until 1 am in the morning! It was not ideal to say the least. This year it’s based in Singapore, which is excellent news because I can watch it at a reasonable hour!

The prize pool has always been exciting to watch. From the very first event, in 2011, where Valve ponied up $1 million USD for the win until last year which turned out being $40 million! The scene has grown exponentially over the years and so have the skill and gameplay of the teams. Watching the lead-up and the eventual finals is exciting and satisfying to see a decent prize pool be paid to pro gamers!

I’m looking forward to the epic games ahead and to see if there’s another unexpected win like Team Spirit last year.

From Valve:

At the Stockholm Major, we were pleased to unveil that The International will be hosted in Singapore, bringing the crowning event in esports to SEA for the first time. Featuring four consecutive weekends of Dota action, and a total of 30 teams from all over the world, this will be the largest Dota event to date.

In our constant efforts to make the event and its broadcast as exciting and accessible as possible, we’re experimenting with a slightly different schedule that includes more breaks and a greater build to Finals. Here’s how we’re structuring it this year for the biggest celebration of Dota 2 yet:

The Last Chance Qualifiers will run from October 8-12, followed by the Group Stage on October 15-18 — featuring 20 teams battling to make the Main Event. The qualifying teams will then battle through the Playoffs at SunTec Singapore October 20-23, where the field will narrow even further. The survivors will advance to the Finals at Singapore Indoor Stadium October 29-30 — where the Aegis of Champions will hang in the balance. Stay tuned for ticket information for the Playoffs at SunTec Singapore and the Finals at Singapore Indoor Stadium, each of which will be announced later.

#roundtablecoop