Another year, another feather to the crown of Dota 2. The International 2020 has shattered yet another milestone by surpassing TI9 in terms of prize pool, making TI10 the tournament with the largest prize pool in the history of esports.
The majority of the prize pool for The International comes through crowdfunding – 25% of all the Battle Pass sales in any year adds up directly to the prize pool of that year’s TI. The previous record for the largest prize pool in any single tournament in esports was held by The International 2019, which boasted a prize pool of a whopping $34.3 million. This year, it didn’t take long for the fans to surpass the amount, as the prize pool of TI10 is still heading upwards of the mark, with several days remaining before the Battle Pass comes to an end.
The prime reason behind the overwhelming sales of the Battle Pass might lie in the plethora of new features which this year’s Battle Pass offers. The three arcanas, namely Wraith King, Queen of Pain and Windranger, combined with the two personas of Pudge and Anti-Mage, have won the hearts of millions of Dota 2 fans worldwide. The fans in turn clearly reciprocated Valve’s love towards the Battle Pass by stopping at no extent while leveling up their passes to obtain the exclusive rewards.
While it can’t be predicted how much will this year’s TI prize pool exactly be, it can be said with certainty that it will leave its mark in the history of esports.
