The Dota 2 Pro Circuit will undergo significant changes in the upcoming 2018 to 2019 season, according to an update by developer Valve. These changes will affect rosters, pro circuit points, team ownership, Minors and Majors, and event proposals.
Valve stated, “There are a few big changes on the way…we’ll be adjusting how rosters and DPC points work, adding some regulation to an aspect of team ownership, and overhauling the qualification process for Majors and Minors.”
These changes aim to introduce more structure to the year, increase roster flexibility, and improve events.
Rosters and DPC Points
Valve is removing hard roster locks from the Dota 2 season. Changing rosters during the season will no longer disqualify a team from DPC consideration. The points needed for The International will be tied to teams, rather than individual players. Teams will still have five-man rosters, but will be allowed to change the lineup throughout the season. However, removing a player from a roster will reduce the team’s point total by 20 percent. Adding new players will not affect point totals.
If a team participates in a Pro Circuit event without their official five-man roster, the points earned for that event will be reduced by 40 percent. Major or Minor qualifiers require teams to use four or five of their registered players. Once The International invites start and qualifiers begin, teams will not be able to change their roster until the main event ends. Substitutes may only be added in emergencies and with Valve’s approval.
Team Ownership
Ownership conflicts will cause trouble for teams interested in attending The International. If an organization or owner owns multiple teams, those teams will not be able to compete. All teams can compete in the Pro Circuit Majors and Minors leading up to next year’s The International, but ownership conflicts must be resolved for participation in the main event. This includes cases where players have financial ties to other teams.
Minors and Majors
Minors and Majors next year will be held in pairs. Teams will not receive direct invites to qualifiers for either event. The Major qualifier will be held first, and teams that do not qualify can enter the Minor qualifier a few days later. The winner of the Minor will secure a slot in the Major event.
All Minors must have at least eight teams, with one qualifier per region. Majors must have at least 16 teams, with two qualifiers per region.
Pro Circuit Schedule
The schedule for the 2018 to 2019 season has been released by Valve. The application process for most of the schedule is currently open. The schedule is as follows:
- Sept. 17 to Sept. 21: Major Qualifier
- Sept. 23 to Sept. 26: Minor Qualifiers
- Oct. 29 to Nov. 4: Minor Main Event
- Nov. 8 to Nov. 19: Major Main Event
- Nov. 26 to Nov. 30: Major Qualifiers
- Dec. 1 to Dec. 4: Minor Qualifiers
- Jan. 7 to Jan. 13: Minor Main Event
- Jan 17-Jan 27: Major Main Event
- Feb. 1 to Feb. 5: Major Qualifier
- Feb. 7 to Feb. 10: Minor Qualifier
- March 4 to March 10: Minor Main Event
- March 14 to March 24: Major Main Event
- March 28 to April 1: Major Qualifier
- April 3 to April 6: Minor Qualifiers
- April 22 to Apr. 28: Minor Main Event
- May 2 to May 12: Major Main Event
- May 15 to May 19: Major Qualifier
- May 21 to May 24: Minor Qualifiers
- June 10 to June 16: Minor Main Event
- June 20 to June 30: Major Main Event
Before the new season begins, Dota 2 fans are eagerly awaiting The International 8, which will take place in Vancouver, Canada from Aug. 20 to 25.