- Valve has finally confirmed live attendance for The International 10
- The event will be accessible to fully-vaccinated fans
- Tickets are already up for sale with attendance starting on October 12
After months of speculation, Valve has confirmed that fans will be able to attend the Dota 2 International 10 in person.
Dota 2 to Host Live Audiences for TI10
After The International 10 was almost imperiled by Sweden's refusal to host the event, or rather provide Valve with exclusive conditions that would have solved a few pain points, the event is well on its way for Bucharest, Romania.
Set for October 7, fans will be happy to know that in-person attendance is BACK ON THE MENU, and people will be able to attend so long as they are willing to provide proof of vaccination. This is good news for all of us that have had our COVID jabs and with Europe going strong with over 50% of the adult population fully vaccinated that is good news indeed.
Even if you are not attending, though, Valve has released the International 2021 Compendium, which features Player Cards and more content to support your favorite teams, creating a tight community even if not everyone can attend. Depending on what you want to do during The International, the prices of the tickets will be adjusted, although the finals will cost you considerably more.
Midweek No. 1 will run from October 12 through October 13 and cost $59.18. For Midweek No. 2 you will have to pay the same amount and attend on October 14 and October 15. As to the finals, the price of the ticket for October 16 and October 17 is $237.44.
The Group Stages will be played behind closed doors, so the first week of play will be limited to players, organizers, and members of the staff for each organization. Once the doors open to the public, various COVID protocols will have to be kept, including face coverings and vaccination proof.
Valve Is Already Raising Funds for TI11
You may not purchase more than five tickets per type. Attendees will have to go through the “Vaccination Verification” checkpoint which will be set up to ensure that everyone has been registered. To make sure that you can pass through the checkpoint easily and enjoy the event safely, Valve has already publicized the guidelines on the official Dota 2 website.
In the meantime, players can enjoy the International 2021 Compendium and already start contributing towards the prize pool for the event in 2022. There are additional team packs that you can purchase for $0.49 and half of this will be allocated to TI11. As Valve expects massive interest in the event, it has re-worked the Spectator HUD.
The HUD now features various tips and hints to help you keep track of Power Rune spawns, the Roshan timer, buyback status, and more. Valve similarly has touched the visuals up a bit and made it possible for players to enjoy slightly improved graphics without sacrificing performance.
However, players should be forewarned that the company may be ending support for older operating systems, with most of the details outlined in a dedicated blog post. The return of the Dota 2 International is a big testament to the company's ability to organize and host major esports events. Meanwhile, Dota miners have been able to find evidence of at least three Dota Majors for the 2021/2022 season.
