DOTA 2's The International is underway and it will see more than $20 million in prizes when it ends on Aug. 13.
Held at the KeyArena at Seattle Center, the annual championship event is looking at its biggest prize pool ever, which 16 teams will be vying for. As with previous years, the pot was generated from 25 percent of the 2016 Battle Pass sales, meaning more than $80 million Battle Passes have been sold. A Battle Pass grants owners various items, quests and rewards in the game.
Last year's The International was the previous record-holder for highest prize pool with $18.4 million. Having beaten that, this year's event will be giving every Battle Pass owner three "Trust of the Benefactor" treasure rewards, each of which will offer a shot at receiving an Arcana set, a Random Hero Set, a 2016 Immortal Treasure, or an ultra rare chance of getting one limited-run prize, like 200 Fire Lotus Belts, 100 Golden Severing Crests, 50 Ice Baby Roshan or 25 Burning Fiends.
As of Aug. 9, The International's first place team is set to go home with $8,862,170 while the second and third placers will receive $3,323,314 and $2,114,836, respectively. Prizes drop below the million mark starting with the fifth placers, who will be getting $906,358, which is not at all shabby. The weakest of the lot, the 16th place team, will be getting $100,706.
The 16 5-member teams duking it out at The International are OG, Team Liquid, Newbee, LGD Gaming, Team Secret, MVP Phoenix, Natus Vincere, Wings Gaming, Alliance, Evil Geniuses, TNC Gaming, Vici Gaming Reborn, Digital Chaos, EHOME, Escape Gaming and Fnatic. Wild card teams include compLexity Gaming, EHOME, Escape Gaming and Execration.
DOTA 2 fans can watch live streams of The International via WatchESPN, Twitch, YouTube or Steam Broadcasting. In the area but wasn't able to buy a ticket? A limited number of tickets will be made available every morning of the event at the box office until Aug. 11. LED screens are also set up on lawns next to KeyArena for everyone's free viewing pleasure.
The International can also be enjoyed through VR technology, thanks to the DOTA VR Hub. DOTA 2 received the VR treatment in April, making the VR spectator mode available.
In VR spectator mode, the standard stream of a match is shown in a VR environment, with a 3D mini map of the game in front. Players are also shown as avatars, with information on what items they are carrying at the moment.
