The International 10 Prize Pool Surpasses $40 Million, Breaking Esports Records
Despite the delay of The International 10 due to COVID-19, the Dota 2 community has managed to surpass last year’s prize pool record, making it the largest prize pool in esports history. Thanks to extensions given by Valve, this year’s Battle Pass has reached over $40 million, surpassing expectations.
With just two hours remaining, the prize pool was stuck at just over $39,955,000. However, a sudden surge in purchases during the final moments pushed it over the last hurdle. This could be attributed to players wanting more drops from Immortal Treasure III or making big purchases to reach the milestone.
TI10 has not only broken the previous prize pool record set by TI9, but it has also steadily increased sales through the last month. Valve’s release of the Windranger Arcana and Immortal Treasure III, along with a second extension of the Battle Pass, has contributed to this growth.
It took an additional 36 days for the TI10 prize pool to reach $40 million. Even if it had ended on the same day as the TI9 Battle Pass, it would have still reached around $36.7 million.
Dota 2 now holds the top six spots on the list of the largest esports prize pools of all time. The Battle Pass has been instrumental in raising funds for The International since TI3.
However, it remains uncertain how Valve will use this prize pool since TI10 and the Dota Pro Circuit were postponed indefinitely earlier this year. Details about their resumption are still unknown, which means the $40 million will remain untouched for the time being.
Valve could potentially use this money to fund other competitions, as it is unlikely that TI10 will happen before the summer of 2021, based on the current status of the 2019-20 DPC. The developer is currently working with tournament organizers on upcoming events, such as the partnership with South American esports league Movistar Liga Pro Gaming.
Stay tuned for more updates on competitive Dota 2.
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