Tickets for the first event of the 2016 Dota 2 Major season will go on sale in a matter of days, Valve confirmed this week, roughly two months removed from the main event for the Dota 2 Shanghai Major.
To be honest, we’re still a bit surprised by how little we’ve heard about the Dota 2 Shanghai Major at this point. Last week, Valve confirmed plans to host a series of open qualifier events for the event, each of which gives one team the chance to earn a spot in regional tournaments that will decide eight of the 16 teams competing in the first Dota 2 Major of 2016. We also learned which teams Valve invited to the $3 million tournament, many of which have been consistent presences in other Dota 2 events.
But we still haven’t seen a Compendium, the digital programs that Dota 2 players tend to gobble up like a fresh plate of hotcakes, for the Dota 2 Shanghai Major. Presumably, Valve is still preparing the guide book for the year’s first big Dota 2 event. But the lack of communication, along with a lack of requests for potential Compendium items, does make us wonder whether or not Valve is planning to adjust its monetization plans around the event. Personally, as silly as it may sound, the promise of new items (particularly, new immortal gear) is almost as exciting as any of the tournament action. So let’s hope Valve announces plans for Dota 2 Shanghai Major treasures at some point in the near future.
In the interim, Valve has announced plans to begin selling tickets for the Dota 2 Shanghai Major main event on Jan. 10 (this Sunday). Individual day passes will be available for purchase, ranging from ¥99 to ¥169, along with a five-day pass (¥499) and a VIP pass (¥999). Both the five-day and VIP package will also include an exclusive gift from Valve; however, there’s currently no word on what form that gift will take.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for additional Dota 2 coverage throughout 2016 and for as long as Valve supports the professional Dota 2 scene in the years to come.
