DotA 2 price pool continues to grow

The prize pool for the third annual DotA 2 International tournament is still on the rise thanks to community efforts that see fan purchases simply adding to the collection. To date it's reached over $2.6 (£1.7) million, making it the largest cash prize pool of any single esports event in history.

The reason the cash pile continues to grow, is because of Valve adding $2.50 to it, every time a fan buys the International Interactive Compendium: a digital document containing information on all the teams in the upcoming tournament. It also gives gamers the ability to bet on their favourite teams, build a fantasy DotA 2 team out of players from different ones – just like those nerds do with real sports.

Valve has been doing stretch goals too, rewarding players for reaching certain thresholds (the next one is at $3.2 million) with new battle bonuses, new couriers, a custom UI skin for the International tournament, new taunt animations and the introduction of a new eight player solo championship at the grand tournament.

It's gone up by another few thousand since I started writing this piece…
“Honestly, at this point in time I'm not surprised that we have hit the $2.6 million mark,” said DotA 2 analyst, Matthew Bailey said while speaking with Gamespot: “The speed in which we have reached these goals just goes to show how passionate and dedicated the Dota 2 community is.”

“On top of that, the amount of work Valve has put into the Compendium after the initial release with the introduction of the player cards, International fantasy challenge, predictions, rewards, and more just help to show their dedication of making this year's International event the best one yet and also gives you a ton of content for your money,” he added. “In regards to the actual Immortal item we will now be receiving, I can’t say what it is; however, I will say that it will be worthy of the Immortal tag.”

While League of Legends might have the player numbers for now (with over 30 million monthly) DotA 2 is on the rise, and it has easily eclipsed LoL's previous record for prize money at a single event – $1.97 million. There's still some time to go too, until The International this year, set to take place between 7th and 11th of August in Seattle.

KitGuru Says: Come on then MOBA fans, let's have a Facebook faceoff. Tell us why you prefer your favourite game, LoL, DotA 2, the original map, HoN. Sound off for your game of choice. 

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