Dota 2 TI 2023 still on track for lowest ever prize pool

Earlier this 12 months I speculated that the prize pool for Dota 2 TI 2023 (or TI 12, whichever you favor) can be the bottom ever – at the very least because the jackpot has been crowdfunded. As an esports fan who loves watching TI, my fears have develop into a actuality – a Halloween trick, as a substitute of a deal with.

The bottom ever Dota 2 TI prize pool was the MOBA‘s 2013 iteration of the match. Sitting at $2,874,380, the pot was nothing to smirk at, however given it reached a excessive of $40,018,195 for TI 10 (2021), two million doesn’t really feel like a lot in Dota phrases.

Three million doesn’t really feel like a lot, both, however sadly TI 2023 concludes with solely $3,149,655 within the pool. Certain, there’s fairly a bit to go (we’re on day 32 of 112), however given the day one complete kicked off at $2,380,054, we’ve solely seen a rise of simply $766,601 in 32 days.

Whereas most years see dramatic will increase following the conclusion of TI, in keeping with the Dota 2 prize pool tracker, we haven’t seen something like that this 12 months. TI 2023’s bottom-place rival, 2015, pulled $10,449,914 by the 32-day mark, which means gamers must contribute $7,300,259 to get this 12 months wherever shut.

I’ve waxed lyrical about why the Dota 2 TI 2023 prize pool is so low – the Compendium, and common esports fatigue being my two suspects – however I don’t like being all doom and gloom about all of it. I’m not an enormous Dota 2 participant, however I really like watching TI. There’s an pleasure and an actual feeling of neighborhood – however it looks like that ember is being snuffed out.

The world of esports is characterised by upsets, certain, however it definitely looks like this would be the lowest prize pool of all time. Is it a case of GG go subsequent and hope for higher in 2024, or does Dota 2 want a Counter-Strike 2 fashion glow-up regardless of the massive New Frontiers replace? I suppose we’ll have to attend and see.

Within the meantime, we’ve an inventory of different free Steam games which are value a shot whereas we await the most recent hero to hitch the roster, The Ringmaster. If you happen to’re on the lookout for another multiplayer games, although, we’ve bought you coated.