Valve has officially announced that The International will be held at Copenhagen’s Royal Arena, making it one of the most anticipated events in esports. Despite facing challenges in recent years, Valve is back with a bang.
Credit: Valve
The International returns to Europe
For the third time in its 13-year history, The International is returning to Europe. Copenhagen is set to host several top-tier esports tournaments this year, including the PGL Copenhagen Major and the RLCS Major 1. However, none can match the prestige of The International. After a lackluster final prize pool last year, barely surpassing $3 million, Valve is gearing up to deliver a spectacular event this year.
Midas Mode, a game mode created by Moonduck in 2017, was mentioned in the blog post, suggesting its return this year. Whether as an in-game mode or a separate tournament is yet to be confirmed. But fans can expect more details soon from Valve.
Details on Qualifications
With the removal of the DPC, the path to TI qualification has been unclear. The blog post revealed that 16 teams will compete through open qualifiers, regional qualifiers, and direct invitations. The direct invites will be based on team performance throughout the year, including tournaments like DreamLeague, ESL One, and the newly introduced PGL events.
In-Game Events
Following the discontinuation of The International battle pass, fans have been anticipating more in-game events throughout the year. Valve aimed to diminish the TI-centric focus and spread events across the year to gradually increase the prize pool. A new update named Crownfall was mentioned in a blog post from February 8th, hinting at upcoming content releases.
Although the Dota Labs update has been keeping Valve busy, fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new Dota hero, Ringmaster. The excitement is palpable, and fans can’t wait to see what’s in store for the Dota community!
