The DotA 2 World Championships, otherwise known as The International, are moving to Romania this year following the recent denial of service given by the Swedish authorities. There are still plans to hold this event in person, though crowds won't be quite the same as they've been in previous years, but the top teams in the world will still compete for the over $40 million in prize money.
The International is a mega-event for Esports, with the largest prize pool of any single tournament in any Esports. This year's pool won't quite eclipse that of previous years, but it's not far off and still draws eyeballs and attention for its sheer scale. However, due to the ongoing concerns about infections spreading at such events, the Swedish location won't be viable this year. To fix that, Valve has found a new home for The International 2021: Bucharest Romania.
"[The] Group Stage will run October 7 - 10, with Main Stage play kicking off on October 12," Vale announced in a statement. "Then on October 17, the two finest Dota 2 teams in the world will face off for the Aegis and their shares of the $40,018,195 prize pool that awaits. Additional information on ticket sales will come shortly."
Like in previous years, a virtual ticket system will be available, giving the millions of DotA 2 fans around the world the chance to view the action live or in replay form as the competition unfolds. That will be especially important this year since in-person spectators will be limited compared to years gone by.
At least the competition is going ahead, though. Who will you be rooting for when the time comes?