Valve's Dota 2 International Championship begins

Valve’s yearly Dota 2 Championships, The International, which is now in its third year, have begun with nearly 400,000 concurrent live viewers within hours of going live.

The world’s best Dota 2 teams have descended onto Valve’s headquarters in Seattle to compete for what is now over $2.8 million in prize money. Teams have flown in from around the world, including 2011 International Champions Na’Vi from Ukraine, 2012 International Champions Invictus Gaming from China, and 2013 favorites Alliance from Sweden.

In addition to the main tournament, Valve will also be hosting a 1v1 Solo Championship, and an All-Star match with players voted on by the fans. Star players competing in both include Danil "Dendi" Ishutin from Na’Vi, Luo "Ferrari" Feichi from Invictus Gaming, Jonathan "Loda" Berg from Alliance, and Chai "Mushi" Yee Fung from Orange Esports. A full list of teams and competitors can be found on the official International site

The prize pool, which continues to increase by $2.50 with every purchase of the $10 Interactive Compendium, is the largest amount ever given out for a single-event in competitive gaming/eSports history.

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