The Riyadh Masters 2024 tournament got off to a rocky start this morning, experiencing significant delays. During the official Twitch stream, it was revealed that there were difficulties in securing suitable servers to uphold the competitive integrity of the games.
This is not a good look for an event with high expectations and substantial financial backing. The stream has been live for 2 hours without any Dota 2 action, leading hosts Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden, Mira “Ephey” Riad, and Maurice “KheZu” Gutmann to fill time with game analysis before taking an extended break. Fortunately, a solution has been found and the games are expected to resume shortly.
Tech problems are not uncommon in Dota, as seen recently when Aurora had to forfeit to BetBoom during a DreamLeague elimination game.
The Riyadh Masters follows a complex format, spanning three weeks. Teams must navigate regional qualifiers, followed by a play-in stage before reaching the main event where eight invited teams await. The tournament features 20 teams competing for a $5 million prize pool, rivaling even The International in scale and significance within the Esports World Cup.
Despite the initial setbacks, the Riyadh Masters promises intense competition and substantial rewards for the participants.
