The most important Dota 2 competition will return to European soil since its first edition in 2011 in Cologne, and will move to Stockholm (Sweden).
34 million dollars is a figure that goes beyond the established margins. That was the total amount of prizes that The International 2019, a Dota 2 competition that was held in China last year, distributed this summer.
The winner —and for the second time in a row—, OG Red Bull, pocketed almost 16 million dollars . The amounts for next year are still unknown, but its location has been announced: Stockholm (Sweden).
The tournament, which is one of the most successful on the scene and the one that is most generous with prizes, will return to Europe after having premiered the first edition in Cologne, in 2011, during Gamescom. Since then, it has passed through Seattle (USA), the venue for five consecutive years; Vancouver (Canada); and Shanghai (China).
The announcement was made during the grand final between Team Liquid and OG last year and has been received with great anticipation by European fans, who since 2011 have resigned themselves to seeing this important competition in another time slot and on another continent.
His transfer to Europe is also a great opportunity to test how many masses move in the continent that opened the ban and that gave them such good results.
Dota2 PC
Valve, the company that developed the game and is in charge of its sports exploitation, has not yet made the specific dates of The International 2022 official, although it is quite likely that it will be in October, like all the editions except the 2014 one.
With the decision to return to the origins, the company intends to thank the European fans for having managed to be one of the benchmarks in the sector.
The decision to organize in Europe could perhaps be due to the fact that the last three champions were based there: the aforementioned OG Red Bull, and Team Liquid , hosted in the Netherlands.
In fact, the vast majority of champions are from the old continent: 5 European championships, 2 Asians and one North American, an unusual event for other electronic sports.
The continental power is not in question, as evidenced by the fact that 3 of the 4 semifinalists of The International 19 were from there.
In Stockholm, the 18 best teams on the planet will face each other not only for a prize that hopes to be enormous, but also for the trophy: ‘Aegis the Immortal’, a highly valued carving that every professional wants to have in their showcases.
One of the biggest beneficiaries of this will be the Alliance club , based in that country and who will want to take the opportunity to give their fans a joy and increase their fan base.
They were the winners of the 2013 edition, although since then they have not been able to repeat a good performance. “We can’t wait to work for an opportunity to play The International on familiar ground,” assured the team through their Social Networks.
The International 2022 Sweden
Stockholm’s mayor said the city “is excited to host this global celebration” and that they are “honored to welcome the world to cheer on their favorite teams . ”
The event will bring fans from all over the world to the Scandinavian country , so the news has been received with great joy by the City Council, as it will boost the local economy.
Sweden is not only the birthplace of great CS:GO teams and players , of which they are a true world power. High caliber Dota 2 players have also emerged from its borders.
One of them is Gustav Magnusson ‘s4’ , Evil Geniuses professional and winner of The International 2013 and bronze in the 2018 edition, as well as several individual awards such as best captain in 2013, best midfielder in 2013 and 2014. and best play in 2012.
Another good example is Ludwig Wåhlberg ‘zai’ , from Team Secret, with two bronzes from The International to his credit and the recent fourth place, as well as the MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019 or the ESL One in Frankfurt in 2015.
But the country had also previously organized other Dota 2 tournaments, thanks no doubt to the important weight that DreamHack has in the industry and its Swedish base, Jonkoping, with an important influence on the growth and maturity of this electronic sport.
The International 2022 is a perfect excuse for a getaway to the Scandinavian country, at a time when the cold is not pressing. If you are thinking of setting off to watch one of the best esports competitions and you are going to invest your vacation in your favorite hobby, don’t hesitate to trust MAPFRE so that no problem spoils your days off.
