What Happened To The Biggest Prize In Esports? #dota2 #ti2024 #esports

0:00 - Intro
0:35 - How did it get so high?
2:00 - Valve's new strategy
3:09 - How does the community feel?
4:13 - Personal Opinion

"The International", a tournament hosted by Valve, the developers of Dota 2 used to have the highest prize pool in esports of $40 million dollars. But not anymore. This video explains how the prize pool got so high in the first place, as well as how it has fallen.

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Sources used for this video (research included):

Songs used in this video:

[baddingtonbear]

Please subscribe! I'm getting close to monetization which would be amazing! Thank you so much everyone for watching ❤️

[vjbd]

TI nowadays just feels like another big tournament instead of Dota 2's version of the Olympics.

[joebearslim]

Never forget that Valve took the ENTIRE prize pool for 2020. They raised an entire pot and then never used it for 2021's. That was when they figured out prize pool didn't influence viewership

[jordypramada]

The memories of stting on your bedroom. Drinking coke, eat ramen, ordering pizza, and enjoying the event. Those were great times..

[quixoticfiend]

Team Spirit and OG bagged the biggest prize pools. Nobody else will reach those winnings again, most likely.

[reekwind]

The compendium is shit nowadays, nobody buys it, who the fuck wants a signature capsule?

[jasonleong]

14K hours, I have to say, the battlepass was something that I get excited about every TI..

To the point, the past 2 compendiums. I didn't want to grind it as it has no rewards. I think I might not buy the compendium next year.

Bring back the $10-20M prize pool. Make it exciting for all of us again!

[pengsiang]

at least now we know nobody care about pros. Cosmetics is all that matters

[ArcticDucq]

TI wasn't just a tournament; it was the Olympics or World Cup; it always gave a special feeling, it always felt and looked bigger than others. Nowadays, it's just a major prestige of aegis somewhat keeps it above other majors, but it's by no means feels special or biggest tourney of the year, especially when Riyadh masters is there.

I think TI is dying for sure or at least doesn't feel the same, but it was a necessary sacrifice and the current situation and strategy are better.

[NicEribertCuizon]

High Prize pools are the pride of Dota 2 players and the community.

[ethanaguilera]

It started when players were complaining they weren’t making enough money or something and said they were the main attraction for TI. Valve said alright we’ll give you a bigger percentage but you get only what people pay to support you while we get everything we release for a battle pass. The prize pool dropped but the money spent went more into valves pocket than the players because skins are cooler than a fantasy sports league

[philipterblanche]

how could a company say no to so much money and NOT reward their top player's its disgusting to see.

[paolosalgo]

dota 2 peak was 2015 to 2020.
we grew up and not interested playing and buying battlepass but we still watch tournaments. good old days.

[brandondegraw]

I remember seeing a post from a while ago (not sure how true this is), but it was something to the effect of some top players voicing that they wouldn't NEED the Battle pass to generate money for the prize pool. That they're the main reason people are watching TI and that loyal fans would still contribute to the tournament. Valve caught wind of this and decided to show where all the money actually came from haha

[dexcal]

In this world nothing is forever, always remember that

[NedimOmerovic-ps]

2020 TI Compendium was at its peak, everything that every Dota player wants from BP :
- 3 exclusive arcanas
- 2 new personas
- 3 new immortal treasures
-new terrain
-battle music pack
-2 new collector's cache
- crimson witness treasure
-new ward and 10 styles courier
-new baby roshan courier
-new towers
- attack effect for range heroes
-new taunts
- at 1000 level getting aegis of champions and at level 2000 getting baby roshan

Now TI24 compendium is about getting signature capusles and time limited teleport effect for over 14 dollars.
It seems its not about Dota but its developers who it seems gave up and stopped making the compendium events like before (TI7, TI8, TI9, TI10).
Mark it that if they bring old Battle Pass into the game with really great prices and cosmetics it will again reach 40 or even more millions of dollars.

[samuelcasucci]

As someone who has never played Dota, but has enjoyed watching the International from time to time - I will say my main draw to it was the prize pool. I'm a massive esports fan and there was something exciting about seeing such a massive prize pool because it simply didn't exist with other titles. Kind of a bummer and def feels like a slap in the face to the players who have dedicated their lives to the game

[Kelly-dlhj]

It's true that this compendium offers a better experience for FREE users, but battlepass are far superior if you're willing to pay for the same amount as compendium. For example, if you compare the cost of a battlepass reward to that compendium pathfinder, pathfinder give around 3 treasures and 1 immortal skin, however with that price battlepass can get more

[nomis]

I agree with both points. Do not know what could be a decent mix of both worlds. On one hand, I appreciate the features added to the game as a result of new strategy as a noob 2k player, but at the same time, i think the pro scene kept it alive by showing high quality games in the TI which often brought me back to playing dota after a year break. I am afraid the pros will switch to other games cause they cannot sustain with such a low prize pool as an incentive. Worst case scenario, no/bad pro scene and only people casually playing losing motivation to gain mmr?

[drowsypodcast]

Feels like you put a lot of work into this. Well done