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Newbee wins first place, $5 million in Dota 2 International
Newbee takes home more than $5 million in prize money after defeating ViCi Gaming in The International Dota 2 Grand Finals today. This is part of the largest payout ever in an eSports competition, with a final pool of $10.9 million. Even second place isn't too shabby: ViCi Gaming takes home $1.5 million. Newbee entered the finals with a 7-8 record, compared with ViCi's 12-3 record. Newbee lost the first of five matches in the Grand Finals, but rallied and won the following three in a row. Both teams hail from China. Third place, Evil Geniuses, wins $1 million, and fourth place, DK, gets $819,000. See the complete breakdown of winners on the Dota 2 website. [Image: Valve]
Watch the Dota 2 International Grand Finals right now
The Dota 2 International Grand Finals are live right now, with Newbee versus ViCi Gaming in a best-of-five matchup. The teams are competing for their piece of the almost-$11 million prize pool. Here's how you can watch (yes, right now): ESPN3: Watch online if you have one of the supported cable subscriptions, or watch via the ESPN apps on consoles. Twitch: The official Dota 2 International channel, complete with all the chat commentary you never knew you wanted. Dota 2: Watch the stream directly on the Dota 2 website. Game client: Load up Dota 2 and enjoy the stream from there. "At the end of Phase 2 (group stage) there could not have been two teams further apart," the Dota team says. "VG had dominated the entire set of round robin matches ending on top of the standings with a 12-3 record. Newbee on the other hand, squeaked in with a 7-8 record that forced them into a three way TieBreaker."
Dota 2 plus ESPN2 equals televised 2014 International
Valve has announced that streaming service ESPN3 will broadcast the Dota 2 International 2014 this weekend, adding yet another route through which fans and newcomers alike can catch up on the tournament. Valve also announced that ESPN2 will host an exclusive preview of the tournament's final match at 8:30 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, featuring previous game highlights and interviews with players and Gabe Newell. An ESPN broadcast is just the most recent accomplishment for the championship series, which kicked off yesterday and runs through Monday; thanks to crowdfunding, The International 2014 now holds the record for largest eSports prize pool, with more than $10 million to split between the winners. The line between eSports and traditional sports is becoming blurry, indeed. Welp, you know what this means: everyone, head to your favorite sports bar and request they turn on ESPN2 on Sunday night. This weekend, Valve is giving us an excuse to go out and still get our video game fix. [Image: Valve]
Dota 2's 10 million dollar e-sports tourney will stream on ESPN
Whether or not you believe e-sports are real sports, Dota 2 is at least big enough for sports TV. Valve today publicized a deal that will bring streaming coverage of its MOBA's The International tournament to ESPN. Well, ESPN3, which is sort of like ESPN in the same way Dota 2 is like a sport. We're kidding. ESPN3 will broadcast matches live, and come Sunday, "viewers can tune in to ESPN2 for an exclusive preview of the tournament's final match, featuring highlights from the games, expert analysis, plus interviews with the players and Valve's Gabe Newell." The International championships begin tomorrow in Seattle with a prize pool worth over $10 million. It turns out your mom was wrong: You can get rich and famous playing video games. [With thanks to tipster Mike!]
Raptr's Most Played PC list shows strong start for WildStar
Raptr has released its Most Played PC Games list for June 2014 and we spot six MMOs gracing the company's list this time around. As no surprise to anyone, World of Warcraft still dominates in the number 3 spot, behind League of Legends and Dota 2, but we also see WildStar's debut at number 6. World of Tanks, Final Fantasy XIV, Guild Wars 2, and The Elder Scrolls Online finish out the remaining MMOs on the list. Interestingly enough, The Elder Scrolls Online's hours played were nearly cut in half from May to June, and Star Wars: The Old Republic was bumped from the list entirely. It's important to note that these rankings are only based on hours played by those who use Raptr for each play session. Check out the complete infographic and press release after the cut. [Source: Raptr press release]
Dota 2 International playoffs are live today
The International Dota 2 championship kicks off today with phase one of the playoffs – matches are best of three, with the losing team eliminated. The International finals kick off in full July 18 - 21 at the Seattle Key Arena, but matches are also streamed online. This year's International has a prize pool of more than $10 million, with $4.8 million reserved for the winning team. Twitch has all of the live streams, or you can watch via the Dota 2 website. For uninitiated Dota 2 fans, there's a Newcomer's Broadcast that provides commentary aimed at helping new players and viewers understand what's going on. [Image: Valve]
'Dota Dash' turns Valve's MOBA into Mario Kart-inspired racer
Ever find yourself playing a round of Dota 2 and think, "This is pretty alright, but what this game really needs is a kart racer spin-off"? Well lucky you, an enterprising player who goes by the handle "BMD" has created "Dota Dash," a mod that lets you experience what it would be like if Valve's multi-million dollar MOBA were given a blood transfusion from Mario Kart. The mod keeps the familiar camera angle of the original game, while changing its controls and map to match its new genre. Although it currently lacks the depth and variety of courses and maps that would be seen in a full-fledged racing game, players can nonetheless feel free to cackle maniacally as they drop banana peels and shoot shells at their enemies. There are several lines of communication through which you can learn more and contact those working on Dota Dash, including a Reddit thread and Steam Community page. If you're ready to skip all that and jump in, check out D2Moddin. Just be sure to record your race so we can witness the birth of a Luna Death Stare meme. [Image: BMD/Valve]
Dota 2 embraces newcomers with International broadcast
Dota 2's world championship tournament, AKA: The International, will feature a "Newcomer's Broadcast" this year to help those unfamiliar with the game's extensive jargon acronyms keep up with the action. "New to Dota? Or maybe you play Dota but have never gotten interested in the professional side of the game," an overview page for The International reads. "Welcome to the Newcomer's Broadcast, an English stream happening alongside the main stream, featuring commentary aimed at easing people into understanding the exciting world of BKBs, tri-lanes, and counter-picks." In other words, if you just scratched your head at those last three concepts, the Newcomer Broadcast sounds like the place to be. For those who couldn't snatch tickets in time to attend The International 2014 in-person at the Seattle Key Arena on July 18 - 21 but don't need the difference between "bot" and "BoT" explained, Valve is also introducing DVR broadcasts and a multicast feature that recaps the tournament's highlights this year. [Image: Valve]
Dota 2 makes waves with $10 million International prize pool
Thanks to Valve's crowdfunding initiatives, the Dota 2 world championship, otherwise known as The International, now has a prize pool totaling more than $10 million. Which is like ... *counts out fingers* ... a lot. It's enough to eclipse last year's $2.9 million prize pool several times over, and the numbers are still climbing. Here's how it works: Valve forwards $2.50 to the prize pool for every $10 Compendium purchased, as well as 25 percent of money spent on Compendium points. So what's a Compendium? Think of it like an interactive Dota 2 almanac, where owners can earn rewards by predicting winners, completing in-game quests, and so on. Compendium owners also gain access to exclusive rewards such as special chat emoticons or free unlocks of alternate character voices as the crowdfunding campaign reaches new milestones. It took just shy of a day for Compendium sales to beat the previous prize pool. Due to its obscene amounts of cash, The International 2014 will be the record-holder for largest prize pool in eSports history when it commences on July 18 at the Key Arena in Seattle. [Image: Valve/Joystiq]
Fans watched 2.4 billion hours of eSports in 2013
Got some spare time on your hands? Apparently so, according to a recently-unveiled report from IHS Technology, which claims that people tuned into eSports-themed video programming for a total of 2.4 billion hours in 2013. Just in case that slipped by, that's billion. With a B. Which is roughly 273,973 years.IHS expects this trend to continue, predicting that we'll watch a combined 6.6 billion hours in 2018. Another number on the rise: advertising dollars. According to the report, eSports generated more than $32.8 million in online advertising revenue in 2013, and IHS expects that number to grow by more than 250 percent over the next four years. League of Legends was the most-watched competitive game in 2013, followed by Dota 2 and StarCraft 2. The largest audiences for top competitive games were found in China, with silver and bronze for number of spectators going to the USA and South Korea. [Image: Riot Games]
Perfect World Entertainment posts strong Q1 2014 earnings
Perfect World Entertainment posted its earnings report for Q1 2014, showing strong financials that include an increase from the same period in 2013. In Q1 2014, the publisher made $143.3M in revenue, $105.5M in gross profit, and had an operating profit of $28.5M. Perfect World CEO Robert Xiao said he was pleased with the results, commenting that, "Our total revenues came in line with the high end of our expectations, which was slightly softer than the strong fourth quarter of 2013. In the first quarter of 2014, we decelerated promotional activities for our client-based MMORPGs and remained focused on content development of our portfolio and pipeline." Xiao focused on the expansion of the company's mobile lineup as a cause for hope for the future as well as the Chinese Dota 2 beta test and Neverwinter launch later this year.
Valve adding Stanley Parable announcer pack to Dota 2 store
Valve wants you to know that it's adding a Stanley Parable Announcer Pack to its Dota 2 cash shop this afternoon. The content inserts a narrator with a "particular blend of sardonic meta-commentary" into the MOBA, "rendering the game not only understandable but even downright accessible to the common layperson." The pack costs $10, though it will be 10 percent off this weekend. [Source: Valve press release]
Dota 2 International prize pool exceeds last year's $2.8 million
Proving that crowdfunding isn't just for the little guys, Valve has gathered enough money from fans to eclipse the 2013 prize pool for their world championship Dota 2 tournament, The International. To rake in such a large amount of dough(-ta 2), Valve is selling the Compendium, which allows owners to earn rewards by tuning in for matches, making winner predictions and joining a fantasy league, among other activities. Each Compendium costs $9.99, and each Compendium purchased adds $2.50 to The International 2014's prize pool for the competing teams while simultaneously contributing to various stretch goals for the game. Having reached the $2.9 million goal, Dota 2 will receive an All Random Deathmatch mode available to all players. At $5 million the game will receive a 1v1, mid-lane-only matchmaking option, also available to all players. There are plenty others as well, and the highest stretch goal, $6 million, will allow Compendium owners to customize a building in their team's base. Valve's 2013 prize pool totaled $2,874,381 - this year, it took the community less than a day to surpass that number. You may also recall that it took less than an hour for tickets to sell out. The game is kind of popular. [Image: Valve]
Dota 2's playerbase tops World of Warcraft's subscribership
In the world of online gaming, there's been a longstanding perception that's not actually been true: that World of Warcraft has the most players. Today we can add another title to the "Greater Than WoW" Club, as the official site displays a counter showing that Dota 2 has a larger playerbase. Dota 2 had 7.86 million players log in during April, a number that outmatched World of Warcraft's current shrunken subscribership. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that we're comparing a MOBA to an MMO and a free-to-play title to a subscription game, but even so it's an impressive achievement for Valve. Gamespot noted that League of Legends has both games eclipsed by a teeny, tiny amount -- something on the order of 67 million players per month.
NBA's Jeremy Lin: 'Dota is a way of life'
NBA player Jeremy Lin recently expanded upon his remarks in the documentary Free to Play that "Dota [2] is a way of life." Talking to OnGamer, Lin said that the MOBA brought him, his family, and his friends closer together. "When I say it's a way of life, it's more than just a game, it's a chance for us to play and catch up on life," he said. "It's something that's been really incorporated into our lives for years and years, consistently, no matter where you are." Lin said that he normally played Dota 2 two to three times a week and admires the dedication and drive that exists in the community. In fact, he sees professional gamers in a similar light as professional athletes: "It takes a ton of work, it takes a lot of strategy, it takes a lot of commitment and takes a lot of discipline... You definitely have to understand the game and work on it, hone your skills.
Dota 2 International 2014 tickets sold out in less than an hour
Tickets for Valve's Dota 2 International 2014 Championship have sold out. Quickly. The event's roughly 10,000 tickets sold within an hour, according to what Valve's Doug Lombardi told Rod "Slasher" Breslau. Is it safe to say this game might be just a little popular? Those hoping to make a trip to Seattle for the competition aren't totally out of luck; general admission tickets can be found on eBay for as low as $200, though that's still twice as much as their initial, non-secondhand $99 price tag. Those looking for some price comparisons should know that floor seating tickets were originally sold for $199, while VIP tickets were priced at $499. The Dota 2 International 2014 will take place at the Key Arena in Seattle from July 18 to July 21. This is the International's fourth year in existence, with last year's International boasting a prize pool of more than $2.8 million, the largest in eSports history. The prize pool for this year's championship has not been finalized. [Image: Valve]
Valve's Dota 2 documentary, 'Free To Play,' tallies over 5.5 million views
Though less than a week has passed since its debut, Valve's Free To Play has already proven a massive hit by attracting over 5.5 million viewers during its opening weekend. The film, which was produced internally at Valve Software, follows three professional Dota 2 players from around the world as they prepare themselves for a shot at a $1 million tournament purse. While few professional critics have weighed in on the film's quality, Valve trumpets the film's 9.3 out of 10 rating on IMDB, and describes the launch of Free To Play as "one of the largest debuts of any documentary film." Of course, it helps that Free To Play is, as its title suggests, freely available to anyone with a functional Internet connection. If you're interested in watching it yourself, you can find the full film on Steam or by simply looking above this text. Free To Play is also on iTunes, though there it bears a $10 price tag. More information is available on Valve's Free To Play website. [Image: Valve]
PSA: Dota 2 documentary 'Free to Play' is free to watch right here
Free to Play follows the exploits of Dendi, HYHY, and Fear, three Dota 2 players from different points of the globe, brought together by a championship and a $1 million grand prize. Valve's 75-minute long documentary chronicles their journey to the tournament and how much they're prepared to give up in order to pursue a career as a professional gamer, competing with the very best. The film is available to watch now on Steam and it's expected to hit iTunes tomorrow. Or if you prefer, you can just sit back and make yourself nice and comfy with the YouTube video right here in this post. [Image: Valve]
Breakfast Topic: Do you have any MOBA experience?
For those unfamiliar, Heroes of the Storm belongs to the genre that's been referred to as MOBA -- Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. Valve calls its Dota 2 an ARTS, an Action Real Time Strategy, but since they're the only game that uses ARTS, let's stick with MOBA. I don't have much history with this genre of games and for good reason: I'm not a very competitive person. When I try to be competitive, I turn into a raging maniac and I'm not fan of being that guy. Unfortunately for me, MOBAs are an extremely competitive genre. I played two rounds in League of Legends a couple years back and decided to never touch it again. Heroes of the Storm's technical alpha has pulled me in due to its co-op mode, allowing you to play with a team of human players against a team of AI players. Having a strong co-op mode available might make me rage less when I take my chances at PVP. I'm curious how many of you have tried a MOBA before, whether it be League of Legends, Dota 2, the original Defense of the Ancients mode in Warcraft III, or something else in the genre. Are you a MOBA veteran? Never touched one? Touched one but didn't like it? Whichever camp you fall in, are you going to try Heroes of the Storm when you get the chance?
Valve's Dota 2 documentary, Free to Play, launches online March 19
Free to Play, Valve's feature-length documentary following three top players competing for $1 million in the first Dota 2 championships, premieres online on March 19, directly on Steam. It's categorized as a "free to play" item, but a Free to Play Competitor's Pack for Dota 2 launches on the same day, and 25 percent of the proceeds from that bundle benefit the contributors and players in the film. Free to Play follows Dota 2 players Dendi, HYHY and Fear as they prepare for and compete in the first installment of The International championships held in 2011. If you don't want to know who won, do not click this link. Valve announced the documentary in August 2012. For those in San Francisco, Valve is holding a public screening of Free To Play at The Castro Theatre on March 18 at 8PM PT, followed by a Q&A with the creators and "special guests." Tickets run $25 apiece and are available here. [Image: Valve]
