Almost all Dota 2 tournaments since the end of 2022 have battled with production issues, making the broadcasts unwatchable at times. With The International 2023’s prize pool dropping below 2014 levels, many expected TI 2023 to suffer the same fate, but the tournament broke the trend with its smooth coverage of the first weekend, receiving praise from the community.
During the group stages, the production didn’t experience any notable technical issues, and the content had zero downtime. Transitions between matches and panels were seamless, allowing new casters and panelists their moment in the spotlight during Dota 2‘s prime event.
Co-organized by PGL and Valve, TI 2023 also had an unexpected trump card. At certain points, OG stole the show at TI 2023 with N0tail and Gorgc’s Dota 2 hub, providing nostalgic coverage of the tournament alongside notable guests.
When two equally good options to spectate the tournament were merged with a seamless broadcast, TI 2023 served as a heartfelt apology for the subpar production quality and lackluster majors that fans had to endure throughout the year.
With the group stages of TI 2023 behind us, the tournament’s currently on a break until Oct. 20. The playoffs stage of the event will take place at the Seattle Convention Center’s Summit, and there will be another break before the main event begins Oct. 20. While it’ll be a mere venue change for the players, the production crews will have to set up their gear in different locations, so hopefully things stay smooth.
Now that the bar is set higher by the organizers, they’ll be aiming to retain the same level of quality and even improve it, while the players competing at TI 2023 will have their eyes on the Aegis of the Champions.
Despite the increase in the production quality, the tournament still lost some of its appeal, at least for the players, due to its low prize pool. RAMZES thinks Dota 2’s TI 2023 is the worst tournament of the year.
