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Dota 2 TI10 kicks off in less than 48 hours. However, the road leading to this TI has been bumpy, to say the least. The whole contingent of Team Aster and two players of Invictus Gaming have contracted Covid in the last few days in Bucharest.
Meanwhile, Valve decided not to allow a live audience in TI10 and refunded all ticket sales amid the rapid surge of covid cases in Bucharest, Romania.
All of this has marked a situation of panic for teams that have arrived in Bucharest to participate in the $40 million USD premier Dota 2 tournament.
Covid-positive players of Team Aster and other Dota 2 teams will be playing from isolation rooms in their hotel
The group stage of Dota 2 TI10 kicks off on October 7. Group Stage matches were scheduled to be played from the hotel practice rooms and this time will be no exception in that regard.
As for the situation regarding the main stage of TI10, it will be hosted from inside the Arena Națională with no live audience inside the stadium. While all teams are usually expected to be at the venue, Valve has made an exception this year with the covid pandemic in mind. Covid-positive players from Team Aster and other teams will be allowed to play from isolation rooms in their hotel.
For nine years, fans have been habituated to see Dota 2 teams on the TI main stage battling it out from the coveted player booths. However, to avoid propagating the virus further and to ensure the safety of all players and other crew present at the venue, the tradition will have to be broken this year.
The last week has not been a good one for Dota 2 teams and fans alike. Valve and their partner PGL have fallen short when it comes to proper safety measures for teams. The practice room situation for Team Spirit has also painted a very bad picture for Dota 2 esports.
The lead-up to TI10 certainly does not seem like a promising one. Time will tell if TI10 gets pronounced in the same breath as the Shanghai Major in terms of notoriety.
