DOTA 2 TI 2022: Venue, LCQ structure, upcoming patch news, and more

One of the biggest yearly esports events is once again around the corner, and this time around DOTA 2's The International will take place in the garden city of Singapore. This is the first time that the crowning event will take place in Southeast Asia, where the popular MOBA has an ardent following.

Although the venue was unveiled at the recently concluded Stockholm Major, Valve shared further details regarding the structuring of "the biggest celebration of DOTA 2 yet," talking about the schedules of the Last Chance Qualifiers, Group Stage, Playoffs, and Finals.

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Singapore will play host to DOTA 2's The International 2022

The massive Southeast Asian fan base of the game is delighted with Valve's decision to organize the crowing event of its calendar year in Singapore. The International is the biggest esports event of the year when considering the enormous crowd-funded prize that keeps increasing every year.

The crowd-funded aspect of it (through in-game purchases of cosmetics and the famous Battle Pass) allow players to directly invest in the event, marking the period as one of festivity and celebration. Wykrhm Reddy, who shares news about DOTA 2 updates and information, posted on Twitter:

"The International 11 in Singapore will be the largest Dota tournament in history featuring 30 world class teams battling out on the road to the Aegis of Champions across 4 consecutive weekends."

Valve's recent press statement provided a glimpse at how the event will be structured this year, and the schedule is as follows:

• The Last Chance Qualifiers will be held from October 8-12.
• The Group Stage will be held from October 15-18 and will feature 20 teams vying to make it to the Main Event.
• The Playoffs, among the qualifying teams, will take place from October 20-23 at SunTec Singapore.
• The battle-hardened survivors from there will step into the Finals at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on October 29-30.

At the very end, one deserving team will get to pick up the hallowed Aegis of Champions and hold it high over their heads as fans scream in celebration. The International could not take place in 2020. In 2021, Valve jumped through a lot of hoops with COVID restrictions and visa issues, which ultimately resulted in the tournament being held in Bucharest, Romania, without a live audience.

One can only hope that this won't be the case this time around. Like any other esports tournament, a live audience is the beating heart of the event. Players and the action in matches are enlivened through the bolstering cries from fans in the stadium.

Valve is yet to reveal ticket information for the Playoffs at SunTec Singapore and the Finals at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Players will have to keep an eye out for details as they will be announced later.

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Upcoming DOTA Plus update and 7.31d gameplay update

The statement also sheds light on what DOTA 2 players can expect in June. DOTA Plus, a subscription service with cosmetics and features in-game, will get an update in June. This update will not only include "the traditional seasonal refresh, but also several exciting new features and the 7.31d gameplay."

Moreover, Valve has noted that given the size of this update (which is larger than normal), it will be released later than normal on June 8. Waiting is an unhappy situation that most DOTA 2 fans have gotten accustomed to. Even now, the community is rife with questions regarding the state of the Battle Pass.

June is going to be an exciting time for DOTA 2 players and promises some fresh new updates and changes. With a looming Battle Pass on the horizon, fans can almost feel the fervor of The International in the air. One can only hope that Valve delivers on the promise of it being the biggest event so far.