The prize pool for The International 10, the world championship of Dota 2, has exceeded $40M USD for the first time in its history, continuing to break the record for the largest single-event prize pool ever.
TI10 was originally scheduled for August 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event has now effectively been rescheduled for August 2021.
The prize pool for TI grows as a result of proceeds from the sale of Dota 2’s annual Battle Pass – a purchase that unlocks in-game rewards such as unique cosmetics and features. Valve contributes 25% of all revenue from the Battle Pass to the TI prize pool. As the sale is tied to TI, typically the Battle Pass sale ends around the time of the tournament. With no tournament this year, the Battle Pass has remained available for far longer than normal, leading to the substantial inflation of this year’s total.
Additionally, with no tournament until after the expected release of the 2021 Battle Pass, it is entirely possible that Valve could combine these proceeds into a single, astronomical prize pool for the competition in 2021.