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The 2019 Dota 2 International Championships has set a new esports record

The ninth annual Dota 2 International Championships came to a close this weekend, bringing with it a brand-new esports record.

Josh Hawkins

August 28, 2019 9:15 AM

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Fans tuning into the 2019 Dota 2 International Championships over the weekend will be pleased to know that the competition closed out by setting two new esports records. Setting a new record for the largest prize pool in an esports event, as well as the first time that we’ve seen a back-to-back victory by any team in International history, the 2019 Dota 2 International Championships were a stunning event to experience both via live stream and in person.

According to a press release shared after the championships concluded, the 2019 Dota 2 International Championships were held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China, where the event bolstered a massive, community-driven prize pool of over 33 million dollars. This is, according to reports, the largest prize pool in esports history, and one of the largest prizes available in any sport the world has seen thus far.

But, that wasn’t the only record set, as we all know. Following the end of the championship games, OG took home the win, successfully marking the first time that a team has won the tournament in consecutive years. This also set OG up to become one of the highest-earning teams in esports of all time, which is definitely something the team should be celebrating. On top of becoming the first team to win back-to-back, OG is also the first two-time championship team since the competition’s first series 9 years ago.

The Dota 2 International Championships have grown quite a bit since the very first instance during 2011’s Gamescom conference. Bolstering a solid 1-million-dollar prize pool at the time, the Dota 2 International Championships is well on its way to paving new paths for esports players who enjoy the action and strategy that Dota 2 provides. You can check out a lot more about the most recent Dota 2 International Championships right here on Shacknews, so make sure to check that out if you haven’t yet.

Josh Hawkins

Guides Editor

Joshua holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and has been exploring the world of video games for as long as he can remember. He enjoys everything from large-scale RPGs to small, bite-size indie gems and everything in between.