Dota 2 is not only a computer MOBA game but also a popular eSport discipline. Every year, Dota 2 hosts a large number of championships, both amateur and professional, the main event being The International, which has set a world record as the owner of the largest prize pool (over $31 million).
Dota 2 Tournament Types
Championships are categorised into many different types, each with a specific purpose and features:
- Online tournaments. The peculiarity of those major events is that teams do not have to come to a specific place, players can play via the Internet. These competitions usually have a small prize pool (no more than $50,000). However, sometimes there are events, such as the first season of the professional Chinese league, whose prize fund was 200 thousand dollars. From the point of view of the organisers, online tournaments, on the one hand, do not require expenditure on the rental of premises and organisation, and on the other hand, they do not generate revenue from ticket sales. Qualifiers and small tournaments are undoubtedly more profitable for online play, and for large events they use the traditional LAN format.
- LAN tournaments. LAN means that the games take place on a local network, for this all participating teams must arrive at a certain location. For large events, they choose large stadiums, arenas and centres that can accommodate many spectators. Players usually stay in special “glazed” rooms, and the game is broadcast on large screens so that all viewers can clearly see what is going on. Almost all major events with a prize pool of more than $50,000 take place in a LAN format. Although LAN tournaments are streamed online so anyone can watch them, when you see your favourite team play live, it’s a completely different experience.
- Qualifications. The world of Dota 2 esports is built on a simple principle: weak teams are eliminated and strong teams go to tournaments. To decide to weed out the weak but at the same time give the little-known teams a chance to show themselves, qualifiers are used. First, all willing teams take part in the open regional qualifiers. The number of participants can reach several hundred, and only a few of them will go further. The next step is closed qualifications. There are both teams that made it through the open qualifiers and those that received a direct invite. Only after winning the closed qualifiers, the team gets to the main tournament. Qualifying is just a way to enter the competition, so teams don’t get money for winning, but they do get a chance.
- Minors and majors. The Minors are major events with a prize pool of $150,000 (usually $300), they are much lower than the Majors, but even winning a Minor is a great achievement. Not only cash is used as a reward, but also Dota Pro Circuit Ranking Points, which are required to get into The International, as well as invitations to major tournaments. For 3 years, about 20 official minors were performed. The Majors are the most prestigious grand events, second only to The International. They have a high level of organisation and attract many viewers. Little-known teams very rarely participate in major tournaments, usually the same teams that have already proven their level of play. The average prize pool for such events is $1 million, sometimes reaching $1.5 or even $3 million. In addition, compared to the minors, the Majors give the winners not only more prize money, but also tens of times more Pro Circuit ranking points, which are necessary to get to The International.
The New Year holidays are behind us, vacationers are returning to their daily duties and eSports players are no exception. The planet’s most professional players face a challenging season ahead of them as spectators prepare for thrilling matches and epic tournaments. If you are willing to find up-to-date information about upcoming Dota 2 tournaments, you should follow the Eplay-Info.com. There you will be able to get details regarding the schedule, prize pools and match results.
Dota Pro Circuit 2023
The Dota 2 professional season is divided into three identical stages (the first stage started on January 9). First, the top teams from each region play online tournaments, and then the winners enter the $500,000 Global Major Championship.
- From February 22 to March 5 – The Lima Major 2023 (Lima, Peru).
- April 28 – May 7 – The Spring Major (Berlin, Germany).
- From June 30 to July 9 – Summer Major (Bali, Indonesia).
There is no final information on The International 2023 yet. It is scheduled to take place in August or early September, with the best teams from the regional and major leagues going there, while the rest of the Dota Pro Circuit participants will play in the qualifiers.
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