"Welcome to the International!"Gabe Newell proclaimed, and it began.
From August 8 to 14, the main stage of the largest e -sports tournament in Keyarena is held in Keyarena Dota 2. The prize fund this year is $ 20 million. For him and for the title of the best team this season, the sixteen best teams from all over the world are fighting.
If you still have no idea why everyone loves this Dota so much, then The International is the best reason for the year to figure it out. We will not re -send how to play Dota 2, but explain what to wait and for whom to root.
What happened before?
After the past The International, a lot of things happened. Many tournaments have died out that determined the strongest of this world. For the first time, the Major tournament system was introduced-sort of mini-internal shoes that were held in Frankfurt, Shanghai and Manila. The OG team won two of them, automatically becoming the main contender for the AEGIS shield – the symbolic trophy of each The International.
In addition, during this season, perhaps the most controversial and loud rearrangements have occurred in recent years: the almost completely updated Na’VI composition, throwing Arthur “Arteezy” from EG to Secret, back to EG and again to Secret; chaotic transfers between Chinese teams, and so on. All in order to come to The International in the best form. Some of the teams (including Secret and EG), because of these rearrangements, had to re-break through open qualifications, in which anyone could take part-hell, believe me, the hell was going on.
After there were closed qualifications and struggle for the last, sixteenth, place WildCard. As a result, six more teams invited for past merits joined. All sixteen groups have already played a group stage in Seattle to determine the position of the commands in the playoff nets. And now the final stage of the tournament has begun.
For whom we will root?
You always need to hurt for a beautiful "Dota". But we admit, each of us has our own favorites, and there is someone to choose here.
Several teams came to the tournament: the winners of two OG Majors, last year's champions Evil Geniuses, Team Liquid, constantly turning on the first place, but stumbling about OG; NEWBEE – Chinese grandi, who have gained a chic uniform over the past couple of months, as well as the young Chinese Wings Gaming team, which surprised a high -quality game and fresh views on the strategy, and the team from Korea MVP Phoenix, which with each tournament is gaining and gaining momentum.
The CIS fans will probably be most interesting to follow the rebels from the Na’vi ashes. The team could not show a worthy game for a long time, but to this The International seems to have played again and even won gold at the recent Starladder. In such a situation were Alliance, who revived their victorious composition of 2013.
Well, where without dark horses. This year, Digital Chaos commands from America and TNC from the Philippines can be called such. Fominok plays the Ukrainian novel “Resolut1on” in DC, so you should not be surprised that Russian -speaking fans support the American team with might and main. TNC is difficult to call a strong team, but the fact that they have gone all the way from open qualifications to the playoffs International already mean.
More about all teams
OG
Now OG is considered the strongest team in the professional "Dota". Having won the trophies from the Frankfurt and Manila Major, they proved that even the team collected in a short time, which includes players from different countries, may become a serious threat if the experience of veterans (Fly and N0tail) with the impeccable performance and microcontrol of young players. Especially if the Miracle genius team is the only one who has reached 9000 MMR in rank games.
Team Liquid
Another European team collected from players in different countries and appeared at the same time as OG. A month later, the team played and was able to withstand even the Grandes of the professional scene. Liquid often occupied second places in tournaments, yielding only to the same OG and Secret. A large role in their success was played by a duet of talented support players: Kuroky is an old man of Dota-scenes, familiar to the CIS fans at the time when he played in Na’vi, and Jurax, who surprises almost every game with his performance and inspires opponents with the horror of his Earth Spirit.
NewBee
The team from the Middle Kingdom, which became the winner of The International in 2014. Since then, only a couple of veterans have remained from the old composition, but they were made by no less talented players. And the proof of this was a continuous series of 29 (!) victories. Now Newbee can be called the main hope of Chinese fans at the tournament.
LGD Gaming
Grandes of the Chinese e -sports scene. LGD has been participating in the main stage of The International for the fourth year in a row, and every year with a new composition. This time, the team included young talents from the noise of CDEC last year and the most famous and respected Captain of the Chinese Dota – Xiao8, thanks to which in 2014 Newbee won the treasured Aegis of Chempions.
MVP Phoenix
MVP is a Korean machine that is gaining speed every year and presses more and more commands into the mud. In 2014, a young and little -known team reached the final of the WildCard tournament, leaving Virtus overboard.Pro, in 2015 already took 7-8th place in the main stage, and at the Manilian Major 5-6. MVP Phoenix, thanks to perseverance and endless work, from dark horses grew into a team that has to be reckoned with, and their aggressive style of the game conquered the hearts of fans.
Na’vi
The Ukrainian team, which at one time caused opponents and unrestrained love among young subters (however, everything is the same here). Na’vi became champions at the very first The International, silver was earned on the second, and the Battle of Alliance in the Eclipse Casino sister sites final of the third is still composed of legends. But then everything rolled down on an inclined. The game did not work out, the atmosphere in the team was gloomy with every lost match. As a result – disbandment.
And a couple of months ago Na’vi seemed to rebel from the ashes. Their former captain Artstyle returned to the team, three appreciators of the newcomer and the old man Dendi, still defending the Foreign Ministry, joined him.
UPD: On August 8, Na’vi lost in the lower TEAM Liquid grid and dropped out of the tournament, taking 13-16th place. Alas and ah.
Evil Geniuses
Champions of the past The International. What else to say? EG – the unconditionally stronger team of America. Last year, everyone was afraid of them, and, as it turned out, not in vain. This season EG was a little handed over, in their piggy bank there are only third places for two major. The fault of this is experiments with the change of players and positions. Because of them, the team had to make his way to the tournament through open qualifications. But now, almost returning the old victorious composition, Evil Geniuses seems to have every chance of defending their title.
Wings Gaming
The five almost unknown Chinese players literally burst into the combat arena in the middle of the season and put on the shoulder blades of both Liquid, and Newbee, and even OG. This team has become a headache for all bookmakers, and analysts predict at least 4th place for them. Unsceptible elections of heroes, extraordinary, but working strategies – it seems that players of this team can play literally any combination. Let's hope that the ardor has not died out and Wings will surprise everyone more than once.
Team Secret
The Team Secret formed at the end of 2014 almost immediately took the bull by the horns. The captain of the Puppey Clement team Ivanov is currently the most titled player in the history of Dota: in his hands the victory on the first The International in Na’vi and the gold of the Shanghai Major in the current composition of Secret. Many consider Puppey the best captain on the Dota scene, and he fully justifies his title.
In the latest games, Secret has reduced the ardor, but we will believe that they only hid and are waiting for the right moment to plunge their opponents.
UPD: Team Secret, apparently, could not return to the channel and lost the game to fly out the LGD Gaming team. The winners of the Shanghai Major occupy on The International 6th place 13-16.
TNC Gaming
Philippine team, dark horse in this tournament. Grandes definitely do not take her seriously, but this does not change the fact that TNC made his way through open qualifications and defeated all invited teams in the regional stage. It’s definitely not worthwhile to write them off, especially since their strategies sometimes go far beyond the usual.
Digital Chaos
About Digital Chaos you can shoot a dramatic film without hesitation. Almost all of her players were on the sidelines after the former teams were altered. The guys did not despair and decided to gather under a single banner. Among them was the novel “Resolut1on” Fominok, former Mider Empire. For this team I would like to root with all my heart, but in the battle with the strongest players they will have to like a hard time.
Vici Gaming Reborn
Vici Gaming Grands were at one time by the crushing power of the Chinese “Dota”, but in the last six months they could not break into any major tournament. But their “younger brothers” on the Vici Gaming Reborn holding, on the contrary, earned a couple of trophies both at home and in the European arena. To be on The International for these guys is already an achievement, but they are clearly not going to dwell on this.
UPD: Vici Gaming Reborn in a stubborn struggle lost TNC and left the tournament on the first day of the playoffs, taking place 13-16.
Alliance
The International 3 champions have a huge fan base around the world, including in Russia. Their story is somewhat similar to the history of Na'VI: after 2013, Alliance could not find their game, their crown split (tactics in which one or more players attack the unprotected fortifications of the enemy, while others distract the enemy) did not work, and and then balanced editing did not favored their style.
But this spring, the Swedes suddenly perked up. Another patch again made active movement and pressure from all sides relevant, and the teams seem to have forgotten how to win them. Alliance has completely revived their star composition and are now striving to return the title.
Fnatic
Fnatic Malaysians play very unstable. In one game, they take the heroes completely non -working with each other, are lost in the early game and merge in fifteen minutes. In another, they pickered crown heroes and take the opponents forward with their feet. They were the first on a professional scene to play through an aggressive jellyfish, and so far no one can successfully repeat this strategy. In general, if luck turns to Fnatic face, then they will be able to show an excellent spectacular game.
Ehome
In 2011, the EHOME TAG was a terrible fairy tale for all professional players, but after the first The International, the team sunk into oblivion. More recently, the composition was revived and immediately proved that behind it is not just a loud name. The team included one of the best professional players of the Chinese region, these children not to occupy. Ehome intends to regain the title of the strongest team of China, and do it on The International, they have every chance.
Escape Gaming
The team of the hodgepodge, in which few believed. “They will not last even a month,” analysts promised. But Escape is already in The International play-off and it seems, they feel good there. The fact that they will be able to take high places is hard to believe, but once they have already underestimated.
UPD: Unfortunately, Escape Gaming was not surprised and, without great resistance, lost Fnatic. Perhaps it was simply not their day, but the place 13 – 16 at the most important tournament for them is already a considerable achievement.
Twenty million – where so much?
Every year before The International begins to sell the so -called compendium. If you just want to see the tournament in the client of the game, then buying a compensation is not necessary, but if you want to bring your characters with fashionable clothes, get new effects of abilities or designing a card, you can pay ten dollars or more. Actually, part of the money from the sale of compensation goes to the prize fund of the tournament.
Having bought a compendium, you can monitor the statistics of the tournament, make bets and receive glasses for this that increase the level of your compensation. The higher the level, the more intra -game good will fall on you.
You can buy a compensation now. Your money will not go to the prize fund, but all the clothes you will get this minute. You can find out more about the Battle Pass content here.
The most important thing: and look where?
Two options: on Twitch.TV (here is a Russian -speaking stream from Ruhub, but English -speaking, but you can pass the Twitch catalog and find a thousand alternatives) or through the Dota 2 client. The second option is more flexible – from the client you can, for example, focus the camera on any player.
On the other hand, on Twitch you can also look from the mobile phone. The main thing – do not forget to bind your Twitch account to Steam to get from time to time to view clothes, as if you looked through the client. It also makes sense to look through the announcements of public broadcasts in your city-for sure someone somewhere gather people to look more fun together.
Oh yes, here's another thing: the tournament will last until the end of the week, and if you do not want to miss this festival of e -sports, stock up on coffee and energy – The International takes place on the western coast of America, so that sleepless nights are waiting for us.