The International 2012
Start date | |
Finish date | |
Prize Pool | $1,600,000 USD |
Tickets | Not available |
Region | North America |
Location | Seattle, USA |
Organizers | |
Series |
The second International 2012 tournament held by Dota 2 differs from the predecessor by the scale and organization. The holding place was Benaroya Hall in Seattle, not far from the main office of Valve studio. The concert hall was not so big, however, it was remembered by its cozy atmosphere. Each team had practice rooms, a cafeteria for everybody, a relaxation room, and a chance to have a walk around the city. Valve had had a huge preparation to hold this tournament on the high level and they managed to do it.
Opening ceremony
Despite the fact that this was the second International, the first opening ceremony took place there. Gabe Newell came to stage and started his speech with a phrase: «Welcome to the International» which still arises happy emotions in the body. That was the end of the initial part of the tournament and the beginning of the first matches of the playoff stage. In the future, the ceremony was changed dramatically turning into a real show with special effects and invited guests.
Rules of the tournament
Sixteen teams participated in the event. Direct invitations were given to fourteen teams and the two other slots were played for by east and west regions. According to the results of the online qualifier «Wild Card Qualification», Mousesports and TongFu got to the tournament. Unlike the first TI, the teams divided into two groups with eight contestants in each. Everybody played by the double-elimination system. Four strongest teams got to the upper bracket, the others to the lower one. Nobody left the tournament at that stage.
All the matches of the upper bracket were played in Bo3 at the playoff. The lower bracket had its own rules that stood out by the fact that the first four rounds took place in Bo1. That is why many teams called this system a roulette. All the losers from the lower bracket left the tournament taking its own position. At the grand final, the teams from the upper and the lower brackets were fighting up to three teams (Bo5).
In 2012, the prize pool was not changed — 1.600.000 dollars. Compendiums and extra fundraising appeared only a year later. The winner got one million dollars and the rest of the sum was shared between all the contestants up to the eighth place. As for the Russian speaking casting of the tournament, Valve invited the most popular commentators: v1lat, CCaspeRRR, mtrx4u, and NS. There was no studio of analysts at that moment. English speaking commentators aired the main show between the matches.
Group stage and playoff
After the group stage, several Chinese teams became favorites of the tournament. But LGD looked like the true raid boss as these gamers had a streak of fourteen wins. Only Na'Vi made it to the upper bracket from the CIS region. The team finished the group with the results 8-6 and did not look as frightening as the teams from the Heavenly Empire.
But at the playoff Na’Vi showed their powers and started a real war against the Chinese teams. There were DK, IG, and LGD on their way. The latter had not had any loss by that moment. However, Clement ‘Puppey’ Ivanov’s team was tough and made it to the grand final easily.