Dota 2 has always been known for the staggering prize pool of its annual World Championship, The International. However, the prize pool for the upcoming TI 2023 could be the lowest in a very long time.
The International’s prize pool has been bolstered by the community since the Compendium was first introduced ahead of TI3, with 25% of all purchases made going directly to the prize pool.
Since then, The International has witnessed record-breaking prize pools, going as high as over $40 million in 2021. The following year, however, saw a massive drop as the tournament had $18.9 million on offer.
As the Dota 2 scene rumbles on toward The International 2023, early projections suggest that the event could have the lowest prize pool in TI history in a decade.
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The International 12’s prize pool reflects Compendium disappointment
The latest iteration of the Dota 2 TI Compendium was released on September 27 and has left many in the community disappointed. With this year’s Compendium being entirely focused on The International, a lot of in-game cosmetics and traditional features are absent. Valve has tried to make up for it with plenty of TI-themed rewards, as well as engaging mini-events for the tournament.
Nevertheless, there aren’t a lot of players who are choosing to invest money to purchase the Compendium. Given that 25% of all Compendium sales go directly to TI’s prize pool, this lack of interest in this year’s iteration has proved to be detrimental to the prize pool’s growth. Here’s a list of how much money has gone into the TI prize pool 24 hours into the release of the Compendium in comparison with previous years:
| Tournament | Prize Pool |
|---|---|
| The International 12 | $2,390,054 |
| The International 11 | $6,969,304 |
| The International 10 | $8,152,515 |
| The International 9 | $7,419,288 |
| The International 8 | $5,669,282 |
| The International 7 | $4,767502 |
| The International 6 | $4,232,344 |
| The International 5 | $3,527,102 |
| The International 4 | $2,682,056 |
This clearly goes to show that TI’s prize pool this year might not be anywhere close to what we are used to seeing. It will be interesting to see what Valve has planned for the future of the game as well as its esports scene. Given that DPCs are also ending after TI12, the entire esports scene is headed towards a new structure and format, with invitations for TI making a return.