Valve is announcing that the 2016 edition of The International, the biggest DOAT 2 event of the calendar, is set to take place once again the KeyArena in Seattle, with the competition set to showcase the best that the MOBA has to offer between August 8 and 13 of this year.



Once the Manila Major event for the game is completed, gamers will be able to take part in a series of Open Qualifiers, which will select the best players from the community, starting on June 21, and there are also Regional Qualifiers which will kick off on June 25.
Tickets for those fans interested in attending are set to go on sale on April 7 via the Ticketmaster website and the two options offered are Midweek, which for 75 dollars or Euro allows access to the first four days, including the opening ceremony and the All-Star match, and Finals, which is priced at 100 dollars or Euro and is focused on the final two days and the matches that will decide the winner of The International 2016.
Valve explains in the official announcement that, “As a special bonus to fans attending the event, we will be dropping unique in-game items to audience members inside of the arena. At First Blood in each individual game, 500 exclusive Attendee Treasures will drop, each containing visually-unique versions of this year’s Secret Shop Immortals.”
DOTA 2 will get a big update before the event Valve says that it will create a large outdoor viewing area on the grounds of the KeyArena in Seattle so that all those who get Midweek tickets can remain engaged and watch the final two days of MOBA action.
The International is the biggest event of the DOTA 2 calendar and the company will probably announce a new Compendium for the tournament, which will allow fans to bet on matches and to get access to other perks.
The money collected from it will also be used to boost the prize pool, although at the moment no information is available about the amount of money that the winning team will get.
After the Manila Major Valve will also probably start working on a major update for DOTA 2 in order to better balance the game for the tournament.
The MOBA has managed to draw a significant eSports following and Valve will also reveal options for match streaming for those who are unable to make their way to the KeyArena in Seattle.